6 Tips to Feel Better When You Are Feeling Down
Sometimes our day is not going as planned. We feel down, stressed out, anxious or unmotivated, and we want to change that.
Take a look at these six tips you can apply to help yourself feel better.
1. Do something that gets you into the state of flow.
Whether you are into writing, singing, drawing, baking, knitting, etc. What is an activity that whenever you do it you lose track of time?
Browsing social media should not count because you could inadvertently make yourself feel worse if you start comparing yourself to all the happy people posing on pics. Usually an activity in which you create, or in which your body and mind are fully engaged, are best.
For instance, I always get into flow whenever I play tennis, bake or write. Start doing the activity that gets you into flow even if your mind tries to dissuade you when you are about to start. Ignore that chatter. Say “Ok even if this could be a waste of time I will do it anyways.”
2. Ask yourself whether you have control over what you are worried about.
This is if you can pinpoint what you are worried about. Sometimes you are just feeling down and cannot pinpoint any specific worry or concern. Be honest with yourself, which part of the problem do you truly have control over? The most frustrating problems are the ones over which you have almost no control. Then, what’s the point of worrying about them?
Your mind thinks that by worrying you are being responsible and will somehow prevent something worse from happening. But the reality is that, if you have no control over something, your worry won’t help you affect the outcome.
Instead, focus on what you truly control: your thoughts, which impact your feelings. Then take action on what you can control.
If you are in doubt about whether you have any control over a situation you can always talk about this with a close friend. Be open and willing to consider their feedback. They can also help you brainstorm solutions for the parts that you do have some control over.
After going through this process make sure to interrupt your mind next time it wants to worry about the same thing. Just gently remind yourself that you’ve already established you have no control over that part and already know what you can do instead.
3. Write down all the things you have accomplished so far.
If you are feeling in the dumps, hopeless or being too hard on yourself, not believing in your potential to achieve your goals or even formulate new ones, just go back in time. Where were you as a child, teen, young adult? Which dreams or goals have you already accomplished?
If you were able to accomplish this much so far, why are you doubting you can accomplish more? Is it because you have made mistakes along the way? If so, congratulations! That just means you are human like the rest of us! Don’t let perfectionism or harsh self-criticism bring you down or stop you from even trying to go after your next goal.
While you are at it, why not create a treasure box where you can keep notes and images that remind you of your greatest accomplishments? You can find a cute box you already have at home (a cookie tin, a pencil box, etc.) or you can head to the store and hunt for a box you can decorate. Make it super special because it will store super special reminders of your awesome life.
4. Remind yourself that you are not a team of One.
Even if you feel alone and are isolated due to the pandemic, remember you are never a team of One. God is always there with you supporting you and loving you in your darkest times. If you don’t believe in God, then think of the universe or whichever other force bigger than you that you believe in.
Once I heard Sadhguru say: “Whether something is possible or not is not your business. That’s God’s business.” I love this quote so much that I have it written next to my monitor at home. It’s humbling, comforting and freeing. Humbling because it reminds us that there is a power way bigger than us that always has our back. Who are we to think that the outcome only depends on us?
5. Imagine 2–3 people who love you the most and have supported you.
Remember what they have said and how they have always loved you, no matter what.
If they were able to hear how hard and unkind you are being to yourself right now, what would they say? Take out a piece of paper and write down an imaginary dialogue with them. You’ll be surprised at what you discover.
6. Remind yourself that this too shall pass.
As with any other feelings, even the happy ones, this feeling (whether feeling down, anxious, depressed, worried, etc,) shall also pass. You just gotta ride the wave and hang in there.
Try to practice creating a space between you and your thoughts. Instead of thinking “I am so tired of making the same mistakes” or “I am useless” try rephrasing these by saying “I am having a thought that I am so tired of making the same mistakes.” Add the “I am having a thought that…” in front of those damaging thoughts. This will help you start detaching from them and realize that you are not your thoughts and your thoughts are not the truth.
Hopefully the wave will not last as long if you follow the above tips.
