Depressed? Feeling Down? Overwhelmed? We all get down from time to time or feel bad because we’re not keeping up with our goals or wish we were in another place in our lives. There are many reasons we can feel down and depressed, I’m not a doctor so I won’t discuss treatments or medications. What I can do is discuss some of the things that have helped me.
Depression and feeling down can last for a long time and it interferes with achieving our life goals, sometimes we just don’t feel like doing anything even though we know we should. Here’s a list of things that have worked for me:
1.) Take Action
Focus on the first thing you need to do. Is it a big task that needs to be broken down into steps? Break it down and do the smaller parts first. By finishing the smaller tasks you get a sense of accomplishment and start to feel a little better. You may still feel overwhelmed, but you’re still doing something instead of lying around feeling sorry for yourself. Keep at it, keep the momentum going, the more you keep going the more you’ll want to do.
2.) Create a List
Being overwhelmed can get us down. I make a list of things I need to do to help me break things down and puts things in order. It also helps me remember what I need to do. I just pick up a pen and paper, sometimes I’ll make the list on my computer, but it’s all the pressing things that I need to take care of. Sometimes it’s my work tasks, things I need to do around the house, goals I want to complete, or all of them together. By making this list it will help you get things under control instead of having them all bouncing around in your head. All your tasks are on that piece of paper now, right in front of you, this alone can make you feel better. Don’t forget the first one though, Take Action!
3.) Go Outside
Staying at home, thinking, lying around can depress us. I know it does for me, I start thinking and negative thoughts enter my head.
Read my article about: Negative Thoughts
Just getting out of your home, showered, shaved and clean can make us feel better. Go for a walk, run, meet up with a friend. Or you can do something on your list 🙂 See step 2.
4.) Shower and Clean Yourself Up
Sitting around in your dirty clothes can get you down. Take a shower and groom yourself. The water, soap and just getting clean can do a world of difference for you. After your shower, groom yourself, shave, brush your teeth and comb your hair. This picks me up right away!
5.) Exercise
I know you don’t want to exercise. Laying around seems like more fun, but it’s what is getting you down. Exercise gets the blood flowing, your muscles working. You don’t have to work out hard, just a simple 30 minute walk is good for me. I look at the trees, the birds flying and chirping. The squirrels hiding their nuts. You know the saying, “Just Do It!”
6.) Play Music
Music, I just love music. It always gets me in a good mood, listening to the sounds of the instruments, the voices of the people singing. Play what ever you like, but make sure it’s upbeat and happy. Turn up the speakers, make it loud, get moving to the beat.
7.) Talk to Someone
Talk to a friend, a loved one, a coworker or your significant other. People we love are there for us. Their there to listen to us and talk with us. If you don’t have someone to talk to. Find a professional, you can even call a hotline and talk on the phone. There’s also a website I’ve recently found called 7cups.com that can help you. Online forums can also help by finding someone to talk to. Talking and getting things off your chest and getting things out in the open can really help you feel better and could find the reasons you’re feeling down.
8.) Take a Mental Health Day
Some days I’m just feeling down or depressed so I’ll take a mental health day and take off work and do what makes me happy. I’ll go for a walk in the mountain or go kayaking. I love kayaking and being out on the water under the sun picks me right up when I’m feeling down.
9.) Daydream
I love daydreaming thinking of things about my life or anything in general. A mental vacation can be fun and really helps me relax and uplift me.
10.) Focus on what Matters in Your Life
I try to focus on what truly matters to me and not the negative things happening around me. I think about my friends and family, the fun times we’ve had and may have in the future. Most of the negative things happening to us are just small points in time and don’t normally matter that much.
11.) Let Go of the Past
Letting go of the past has really helped me recover from feeling down. I’ve had a bad childhood and has caused some PTSD but I’ve learned that the past has made me who I am and looking towards the future and practicing Self Care are very important.
12.) Watch a Funny Movie or Video
I love watching comedies or funny movies on TV or Netflix or even a video on YouTube. There are thousands of funny videos online that can really help when you’re feeling down.
13.) Let the Light In
Go around your house and open the blinds or the shades. Having a light and bright home can really brighten your day by letting natural light shine inside.
14.) Cry
Crying isn’t fun but can help release many negative emotions. Find a quiet place in your home if you don’t want to cry in front of anyone. Crying can help release pain and you’ll feel better afterwards.
15.) Look at Old Pictures
Looking at old pictures can bring back memories of happy times and put a smile on your face.
16.) Nap Time!
I love taking naps. I’ll take a short nap during the day and when I wake up I feel refreshed and happy.
17.) Self Reflect
When I’m feeling down I take some time to be alone and look at the things going on around me. Self Reflecting helps me to put things in perspective.
18.) Write Something
Writing a blog post like I’m doing right now relaxes me and gets my creative juices flowing. Writing helps me get my feelings and emotions in front of me where I can see them, helping me to deal with them and just getting them out of my head.
19.) Play with your Pets
I have a beautiful Black Lab who’s just such a sweet heart. She’ll lay on my lap while I’m watching some TV (not and easy feat as she’s nearly 100lbs.) but I love having her near me. I’ll take her outside and play ball and it just uplifts me watching her run around the yard being happy.
20.) Hugs!
Being hugged by someone is awesome! I love hugs, just the feeling of someone being close and holding us brings us back to when we were being held by our mothers when we were babies. Human touch can go along way.
21.) Drink Tea
Drinking Tea can really help. Tea is great for a rainy day along with a good book. You can even have a little snack with your tea and it just warms your belly making you feel happy.
22.) Don’t Compare Yourself to Others
Remember you are unique in your own way. Comparing yourself to someone else can really make you feel down and depressed. We’re all beautiful and pretty and your life is awesome, remember that.
23.) Inspire Yourself
Surround yourself with inspiring things. Find some inspirational quotes, print them out, write them down and hang them on your wall of fridge. Put them where you’ll see them and read them. Read and inspiring book or a video.
24.) Enjoy Being Alone
For me as an introvert, I love being alone sometimes and just enjoying myself in what I’m doing in the moment. I’ll go online and play a game, create something at home or write a blog post 🙂 . Do what makes you happy and remember you don’t always have to be doing something.
25.) Remember the Future
Remember all the things that are yet to happen. You’re future is bright. You’re going to make new friends, you have dreams yet to come true, good food to eat, awesome TV shows yet to come. You’re future is bright!
26.) Get Rid of the Toxic Things in Your Life
Negative or Toxic people can really make you depressed and keep you feeling down. Go through the list of people in our life and see who’s bad for you. Look for anything else that is bad for you well being and try to cut them out.
27.) Disconnect
Turn off you Social Media and News. Scrolling and scrolling through all the news feeds and negative things happening around the world can be a waste of time and make you depressed. Find some time to turn off your phone.
28.) Bake Something Yummy!
Baking helps me when I’m feeling down. Just mixing the ingredients, putting it in the oven, having the smell of what I’m making go throughout the house. Mmmm, I’m getting hungry!
29.) Breath Deep
Try sitting on the floor, your bed or couch and just simply breath. Block everything out and pay attention to your breaths and inhale and exhale as deeply as you can. Don’t rush, take your time and breathe slow, this helps relax the body making you feel less stressed and more comfortable.
30.) Plan Something Fun
What ever you enjoy doing make it fun either by yourself or with friends. Go out for lunch, see a movie, have a small get together with people you love.
31.) Write a letter to yourself
Again writing for me helps to not only relax me but helps when I’m feeling down. I’ve written a letter to myself in the past, it sounds weird but I know myself better than anyone, so I can put things in there that will uplift me and inspire me.
32.) Re-connect with an Old Friend
Remember that friend you use to love hanging out with? If you’ve fallen out of tough, re-connect with them
33.) Read letters and emails
I save old emails and letters where people have said nice things to me and made me feel good. I’ll read them over again when I’m feeling down.
34.) Eat or Drink Something That’s Good For You
I like to drink eat or drink something healthy during the day and it just brings my energy levels up helping to revitalize me and lift my mood.
35.) Go Swimming
Go to your favorite lake or pool and go for a swim. The water and just being outside can really invigorate you.
36.) Take Pictures
Go outside for a walk and find some flowers or scenery. Take some pictures and put them in a collage or create a photo album of all the beautiful pictures you’ve taken.
37.) Read PositiveThinkingMind
🙂 You can come to this blog and read the articles and quotes! 🙂 🙂
Bonus! 38.) Take A Class!
Take A Class: Try taking a class on being Positive and Moving To Happiness. or Manage Stress Through Minfulness by CreativeLive. I love their classes and they’ve taught me different breathing techniques, mindfulness and how to cope with stress. You can find their full list of their personal development classes here.
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