Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Laughter alternatives...

They say that laughter is the best medicine, to which I say, all well and good, but some days I need a more tangible boost for my mood. In no particular order, here are five things that will lift me from a funk.

    1. A new notebook(s). I have several projects going at one time and each project has its own notebook. I’m not overly fussy about brand name, whatever is on sale.  Buying a new notebook, a blank canvas, an empty treasure chest for me to fill, is guaranteed to give me a good day, or at least a better one.       

    2. Caffeine. No, I’m not addicted, mind your own business. Anyway... I start my day with a cup of black tea with a splash of 2% milk, followed by a cup or two of dark roast coffee with whole milk. I’ll make another cup of tea later in the day as a pick-me-up. Or, if I’m really flagging, a cup of hot cocoa. Now that I’m of a certain age, I need to be careful of caffeine consumption in the evening and so drink a cup of herbal tea after supper.

    3. Post-it notes, stickies, what-ever-the-heck you call them. In many different colours and various sizes, they’re insurance that a brilliant idea won’t get lost, a paper security blanket, if you will. Very handy for jotting a quick note to stick into a notebook.

    4. Wool or yarn of some sort for a knitting project. Or yarn and a canvas for a rug hooking project. Creativity in a different medium. I either sit in silence and let my thoughts wander at will, or I listen to something. I subscribe to a long list of podcasts, from writing topics to comedy to history to philosophical discussion, and they keep my brain occupied whilst my fingers work.

    5. Chocolate. Either dark or milk depending on my mood. Something nutty for when I need a boost of protein, or fruity (chocolate covered raisins!) when I need a boost of energy. 

 If you don’t have anything handy to chuckle about, what puts a zing-fizz in your day? 


Luanna Stewart has been creating adventures for her imaginary friends since childhood. She spends her days writing spicy romance ranging from contemporary to paranormal. When not torturing her heroes and heroines, she’s in her kitchen baking something delicious. She lives in Nova Scotia with her patient husband, two spoiled cats, and five hens.


4 comments:

Judith Ashley said...

Luanna, you've lifted my morning tea and afternoon dark chocolate with almonds to mood lifting! Thank you!!!

Lynn Lovegreen said...

Great list, Luanna! In my case, it's decaf or herbal tea because caffeine gives me the jitters, but otherwise, my list looks a lot like yours. I'd also add a good book. Reading can either take me away from the real world or give me insight to think about it, or sometimes both!

Maggie Lynch said...

Lovely list, Luanna.

I'm with you on the morning caffeine. I have two cups every morning If I don't I'm definitely dragging. As to chocolate, I prefer it in a bar or small piece of dark chocolate. Though I like hot cocoa it's just not the same as a piece of dark chocolate. Hmm...note to self, add dark chocolate bar to grocery list.

When I'm really in the dumps, I'll binge on standup comedy from comedians I know and love.

Deb N said...

I love a good romance - book or movie. I prefer light or rom com. There is too much dark in the world for me to spend much time on darker romances, even though I used to be a big romantic suspense reader. As for caffeine, I've tried to slow down, drinking mostly herbal or decaffeinated black teas. But like you, Lu, I do pour myself an afternoon hot chocolate on occasion - always the darkest type of hot chocolate I can find. I'm not a big milk chocolate eater. I do enjoy silly sitcoms (like reruns of Mike and Molly or The Big Bang theory or the old sitcoms like the Golden Girls or Reba), as well. Anything for a laugh. Laughter is a must these days.