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12 (Legal) Ways to Get High

Many things are uncertain right now, not just here in Montreal, but also In the US & around the world,everyone is trying to cope, it’s one crisis after another.  If that wasn’t enough, all this uncertainty is giving rise to dangerous times of solitude & depression. The first thing many of us want to do is grab a drink or a smoke to numb everything & let it pass. This might only be making things worse. The human body is complex and intelligent & it really does not need artificial stimuli from the outside world.  It creates its own chemicals in the brain to make you happy. I would like to suggest a few alternatives to help you activate these natural happy chemicals!

Please keep this list close to you, somewhere everyone can see it – by your phone, on your desk or even on your fridge & share, share, share! My goal is to help you get this kind of high as often as possible!!!

1. Get high on colours

Our world is filled with colours, however many of us don’t realize how many ways they can impact our lives. Colours can influence our behaviour & wellbeing, with different colours having a different effect.

Pink is a calming & reassuring colour – it has even been used in prisons to calm inmates.

Blue is peaceful & calm. It can lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety & even slow your heart rate!  You just have to look up to notice how a blue sky affects our mood.

Green seems to make positive emotions stronger & negative emotions weaker.

Red, on the other hand, can amplify negativity. We have enough of that in our lives, so it can be best to avoid this colour.

Check out my interview on The Survival Show with 1 of the 100 world color experts, Marie-Chantal Milette!

2. Get high on nature

When I was a kid my mother didn’t let me play inside, meaning I spent my days outside in the fresh air. When we are kids our sense of wonder is on overload watching all the discoveries nature has to offer us. Isn’t that what we’re looking for when we run from the city to the country any weekend we can? Go to the forest, to the park, to the blue of the water and the sky & the green of the trees – the fresh air can only do you good!  Besides, remember that green seems to make positive emotions stronger!!!

Woman in pink jacket posing in front of autumnal nature background

3. Get high on exercise

Have you ever wondered why so many people run? Maybe they’re all hooked on the runner’s high! The latest research indicates that the so-called ‘runner’s high’ is likely caused by two endogenous chemicals: beta-endorphin, an endogenous opioid involved in pain reduction and relaxation. So walk, bike, dance, run, do push ups …just keep moving, no matter how small your step seems. All great athletes started with just one step. Take that first step!

4. Get high on knowledge

Read books, learn a skill, learn a new language, brush up on your history. You will be amazed how much you can find on Google & Youtube, as well as by how much new information your brain can take in!

5. Get high on art

Smiling woman doing an art project

Art is therapeutic – in fact, art therapy is a technique rooted in the idea that creative expression can foster healing and mental well-being.  Both creating art and viewing art created by others can be used to help people explore emotions, develop self-awareness, cope with stress, boost self-esteem and work on social skills!

Paint an old piece of furniture, write, sing, dance, recite poems, take pictures, cook, paint a canvas, colour in a new colouring book, paint by numbers, or visit a famous art gallery on line! You can also check out the Transform Art episode of The Survival Show here.

Visit Omer DeSerres for more ideas!

6. Get high on good old fashioned board games

Remember that feeling when you were a kid right before making a great move in a game? That feeling of being totally submerged in the experience? All the stress goes away, you’re in a different zone!  Play with the whole family, no matter how old your kids are. There are games to suit everyone’s age and interests!

A few of my favourites are Twister, Catch Phrase, Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit, Taboo, Scattergories, and Monopoly.

Check out Jeux Divertioz for more board game inspiration!

7. Get high on animals

Stop staring at a screen, go outside and check out the birds, squirrels, rabbits and ducks. Maybe even offer to walk the neighbor’s dog. If you decide to get a pet reflect first and know that it is not temporary, it’s for life – their life. Pets really do enhance your life in so many ways, even in terms of your health! They have been found to lower blood pressure, cholesterol level & decrease levels of loneliness in their humans. You can also volunteer or help save a life by considering adopting from an animal shelter, such as the SPCA. Check the web for more shelters in your area.

Woman smiling with dog

8. Get high on humour

Go ahead, release those beta endorphins!  Read jokes on the web, rent comedy shows on Netflix, and check out YouTube for some hilarious comedians. My all-time, laugh-out-loud favourite shows include Black-ish, Friends, Seinfeld, Sex in the City, and Cheers. Let me know what you think if you decide to check any of them out!

9. Get high on smiles

Yes, a simple smile to someone at the grocery store or the bus stop goes a long way!  Smiling not only offers a mood boost but helps our bodies release cortisol and endorphins that provide numerous health benefits. That is probably why that old Coke commercial was so popular: “have a coke & a smile!”

Woman in white jacket smiing

10. Get high on music

Chances are you’ve had an experience where you hear a song & you get goose bumps or chills. Science has confirmed the existence of the euphoric music-induced “chills.”  An article featured on Get Healthy Stay Healthy suggests that music is good for improving mood, reducing stress, lessening anxiety, improving exercise, improving memory, easing pain, providing comfort, improving cognition, helping children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, soothing premature babies, and so much more. Frankly, they had me at ‘improving mood’ – music certainly has this effect on me all the time!

Try giving some Canadian artists a listen. Some of my favourites are Diana Krall, Rufus Wainwright, Drake, Shawn Mendes, and Eli Rose (Carrousel) & Coeur de Pirate!

If you are with Videotron & you would like to discover music from Quebec, check out their QUB Musique service.

You can also go on Spotify & make yourself your own uplifting playlist!

11. Get high on slowing down

Try out yoga, Tai Chi, or meditation.

Yoga can help you achieve peacefulness of body and mind, as well as reduce your feelings of stress.

Tai Chi is an ancient martial art literally translated as ‘Supreme Ultimate Force’. It became popular in China due to its various health benefits and was promoted across the country to help elderly people keep up with their mental, physical and energetic health.

Meditation is the practice of focused concentration and has been known to reduce stress, whether positive or negative. It also reduces anxiety, chronic pain, depression, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Meditation doesn’t have to be complicated – it’s really the science of staying still. Light a candle, stare at it, and try to think of the flame and nothing else. Sound simple? Good luck! Leave a comment letting me know how it goes.

12. Get high on giving

Charity can boost both mental & physical health. Research shows that those who volunteer live longer & happier lives. You will experience lower blood pressure, lower stress levels, less anxiety and depression, and increased self-esteem.  It’s not about the quantity, or how much you can give. You can call someone, go grocery shopping for an elderly neighbour, cook cookies for a friend…the possibilities are endless!

 

Just don’t get high on fear, drugs, booze & negativity, because they tend to make things much worse. Get going by looking over these 12 ideas, picking your favourite one for the day and dropping me a line to tell me how it goes. I would really love to hear from you!

Stay home & stay safe,

LiZ

Lionzest

 

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