Feeling down makes you feel like the room is getting smaller and the walls are getting closer. Your mind is racing with all kinds of negative thoughts and you feel butterflies in your stomach- not the good kind.
You sit alone on the corner of your bed and you think to yourself: “How did I ever get here?” You try going back to a point when it became your natural state to feel like this. When did it ever become okay for you to feel this down?
You avoid mirrors because you hate seeing the darkness penetrating through the glass; you hate staring at the reflection of the stranger before your eyes.
You try to change, you try to tell your mind sweet lies but it never listens. You want to get out of bed and do stuff, but you feel paralyzed. You want to pick yourself up when you’re feeling down and you want to rise like a phoenix but you don’t know how.
So how do you pick yourself up when feeling down?
1- Music Is A Game Changer
If you want to feel good in less than 10 minutes just listen to music, trust me! I’m not talking about listening to sad music, because it will make you feel worse than you already are. I’m talking about happy music that makes you want to dance to its beat and sing along with its lyrics!
Listening to the same sad lyrics over and over again is like listening to affirmations. It’s been scientifically proven that your brain ends up believing in the words you hear or say.
That’s why you should be careful of the kind of music you listen to! Music changes your vibrations; it changes your energy!
Who doesn’t love Celine Dion? But if you keep listening to “All By Myself” all day and all night, guess what? You will be all by yourself.
Think of music as the background of your life; what song would YOU want to represent your life?
2- Dress Up For Yourself
This trick works like a charm every single time. Whenever I feel down, I change how I look and dress up for the part.
You don’t necessarily have to wear a red soiree dress and run around the house with a pair of heels. You can start feeling better just by putting on clean pajamas and comfy slippers.
Take a shower, brush your teeth and comb your hair a little bit- your hair will thank you for it. Do your skin routine rituals and make yourself a cup of lavender tea.
It’s easier to stay down if you look “down”; I used to look like a homeless person whenever I felt down and it only made me feel worse. I don’t know why we tend to neglect our hygiene when we feel down, but I do know that you will start feeling much better if you dress up for yourself!
3- Reach Out For A Friend
Hang out with someone who makes you feel good; believe me, you will start feeling better the minute you leave the house. Nothing can be worse than sitting in the corner of your bed feeling sorry for yourself!
Go out! Your room won’t miss you; the pizza box that’s been under your bed for a month won’t miss you!
Pick your scene: You can go to the park if you hate dealing with the noise of crowded places. You can go to a bar if you like good music and bar food. Just pick your scene, go to a place that would pick you up.
Bonus tip: Do NOT hang out with someone who makes you feel bad just because you’re feeling especially lonely that day. You will end up feeling worse than you did in the first place.
4- Cleaning Is Cheaper Than Therapy
Cleaning your room will make you feel good as if you walked out fresh from a therapy session! There’s something about cleaning that’s extremely therapeutic; it would put your mind and body at peace.
In addition, it would keep you busy and keep your mind from wandering negative thoughts.
How good does it feel to come back to an empty sink, mopped floor, clean toilet, and a made-up bed?
Plus, cleaning will make you feel productive and give you momentum. You might be encouraged to do more tasks that would give you the same sense of accomplishment.
5- Challenge Your Thoughts And Beliefs
Ask yourself these questions:
- Why am I feeling this way? Did something happen to trigger this feeling?
- Am I exaggerating this feeling in my mind? Are all my thoughts true or are they just intrusive?
- Can I do something about it? Is there something I can physically or mentally do to change the situation? Or is the situation completely out of my hands?
- Is the situation within my control? Or is it something you can never control?
6- Get Out Of Bed
Staying in bed will increase your feelings of hopelessness and it will make you feel paralyzed. Staying in bed and pondering on your thoughts will consume your last bit of happiness. Get out of bed and take action.
There are a bunch of activities that you can do that will slightly take your mind off things. For instance, cooking a wholesome dinner would definitely soothe you. Taking a walk around the block will make you feel good for moving your body; it would be a bonus if you run into your neighbor’s dog and get to pet it. You can also book yourself a spa date; get a professional mud massage if that’s your thing!