Adulting is hard, real hard. And I know that when I’ve had one of those hard days I like to “reward” myself with a big glass of wine or piece (ok bar) of chocolate. Now don’t get me wrong, wine and chocolate certainly have their place when it comes to fixing bad days, but you do have other options.

1. Drink some tea (Chamomile or Kava are good ones for relaxing) and sit outside if you can, or just in front of a window with natural sun light. Kava contains phytochemicals called kavalactones which act to calm nerves, and fight stress and anxiety. Sunlight releases serotonin which has huge mood boosting benefits.
2. Light some candles and take a hot bubble bath. Turn your phone off, close the door and just take some time for yourself. Alone time is so necessary and very underutilized.
3. Hang out with animals. Don’t have a pet yourself? Go hang out with a friend’s dog or cat and get some therapeutic kisses.
4. Have a dance party in your granny panties. For the optimal granny panty dance party, listen to Beyonce. And sing. Really really loud.
5. Curl up in your coziest pajamas and watch your favorite guilty pleasure (here’s looking at you Bachelor in Paradise).
6. Work out. Even if its just doing jumping jacks in your living room. Hello endorphins.
7. Do some yoga and allow yourself to have a nice long savasana. Meditation has been known to boost the immune system, lower blood pressure, and relieve stress.
8. Treat yourself to a manicure or pedicure (even if you do it yourself).
9. Watch the “how animals eat their food” video on YouTube.
10. Buy yourself your favorite flowers.
11. Journal.
12. Create your dream living room on Pinterest.
13. Buy a new pair of shoes
14. Be creative. Draw, color, paint.
15. Lay in legs up the wall pose for at least 5 minutes. Sit parallel to a wall so your hip is touching the wall, legs are long in front of you. Bend the knee that is touching the wall and spin yourself so both legs are vertical on the wall. You want your bum to be touching the wall to reduce pressure on your knees. Arms rest beside you, gaze up. This is a go-to yoga pose recommended for people battling anxiety, depression and insomnia.
16.  Go for a hike. Look at how beautiful the world is around you.
17.  Call a friend.
18. Put fresh sheets on your bed and take a nap.
19. Look at the account @doggodoingthings on Instagram. Thank me later.
20. Be ok with having a bad day. Sometimes what we really need is to just feel it all and have a nice long cry. And that is ok.

What do you do to cheer yourself up when you’re having a bad day?
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While eating mac and cheese and s’mores by the campfire comes close to a spiritual experience for me, it isn’t exactly the best for your body (sometimes you just have to do it for your soul though). I spent the majority of the summer camping and on the road, and I knew that if I ate mac and cheese and s’mores for three months straight my body was going to revolt. These tips are exactly what I used, and I came home feeling better than ever (although I was excited to wake up in the middle of the night and pee in an actual bathroom).

Plan

This is absolutely crucial and I can’t stress it enough. I know that part of the fun of a road trip is the spontaneity and not being on a strict schedule. But don’t worry! All I’m asking for is a little bit of meal planning. It’s really hard to make smart decisions when you’re starving and pull into a gas station late at night. Plan your week! Make it easy on yourself and do everything you possibly can in your kitchen before you leave. Having real counter tops and a stove come in pretty handy while cooking. Prep as much as you can so when you get into camp late at night your veggies are already cut up and everything is ready to go.

One of the rare times we actually had a table to cook on

Bring Snacks

Driving can be boring, and I know when I’m bored I eat. Have fruits, nuts, and other easy snacks readily available. Keep all of the yummy indulgent things in the back so they aren’t easy to get to. Just say no to gas station food (except pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds)! I always have pumpkin seeds with me, the slightly salted ones are my favorite. They are packed with protein and are easier to eat than sunflower seeds.

Drink Water

Even if this means you’re going to be peeing every half hour. Repeat after me… It is ok to stop the car so I can pee. In fact, you should have everyone thank you for giving them a chance to stretch their legs. Sitting all day is one of the worst things you can do for your body.

Find a Farmers Market

Keeping veggies fresh in a cooler is a real challenge. Its like the cooler suddenly becomes this magical destroyer of all living things. Vegetables wilt, freeze, or get waterlogged. But just think of this as another opportunity to explore where you are. Find a local farmers market and pick up whatever veggies you need for the next few days. Cant find a famers market? Its probably worth stopping at a grocery store daily or every other day to buy veggies.

Cook Once, Eat Twice

This is something I recommend to all my clients, but it’s especially useful if you’re traveling. Make enough for dinner that you can eat leftovers for lunch the next day. This way you can easily grab a healthy lunch out of the cooler that takes zero time and saves you from stopping at McDonalds for a burger.

Explore

Its about balance remember! You’re in a new place and there are probably some awesome restaurants around. Go explore! You can be healthy and still indulge every now and then.

Let me know what other tips and tricks you have for staying sane and healthy on the road!
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