Life has been pretty good lately, but I’m not going to pretend that every day is great. Many days I wake up feeling down, caught up in a storm of thoughts that can’t seem to slow themselves down. Feeling overwhelmed with the basic tasks or anxious about having to go to work and force myself into productivity.
When I feel down, my thoughts tend to spiral out of control: what if this day is only just the beginning? What if I never feel happy again? What if? What if? What if?
I try not to let these feelings get the better of me, so there are some things I try to remind myself of when I’m feeling down:
Take it one day at a time
If you’re having a bad day, that doesn’t mean that the next day will be bad. Take life one day at a time and focus on the present moment.
Think of what you’re grateful for
Even if things seem bad, there is something good that happened. Did you make a good cup of tea? Did you see something funny? Did you get out of bed and take a shower? These are all victories and positive things, no matter how small they might seem on the surface. It’s important to celebrate the small things! Remember that.
You are not alone
Often, when I’m feeling down, I start to resent others around me. Obviously, if I’m not feeling good, then others must be feeling great just to spite me, right? NO. Everyone is fighting their own battle, whether or not it’s visible to the public eye. You are not alone in your feelings and you are not alone in life.
Reach out
Reach out to someone who knows what you’re going through, or to someone whom you know can always put a smile on your face. Like I said before, you are not alone. Reaching out helps when you’re feeling down, and can help with your negative thoughts.
Write or say your mantras
There are a few things I say when I’m feeling really anxious or down. I’ll write about them later, but basically, when I remember, I repeat them to myself or doodle them on a nearby sheet of paper.
Write it out
I’m a huge proponent of writing out my thoughts, both when I’m feeling down and when I’m feeling happy. Writing helps you purge your thoughts and quiet your mind but it can also help you make sense of what on earth is going on in your head. In fact, this post was born out of a period of intense sadness I felt earlier last week and writing out my thoughts really helped.
What do you do when you’re feeling down?
Gracie says
26 October 2016 at 09:49I love these tips but my favorite is thinking about what I am grateful for. This is what keeps me motivated every day & I love dreaming of what the future holds ! Hang in there because as you said above you are not alone !
almathews says
26 October 2016 at 16:15Thank you for your comment :) Thinking about what I’m grateful for definitely helps and I’m glad to see you do it every day!
Jacinth says
26 October 2016 at 10:05This post was just what I needed this week. Thank you for sharing. I was diagnosed with Bi-Ploar, PTSD and I’ve found the writing really helps me a lot. I also read. Library books, free kindle books (what ever I can get my hands on at the moment) and I sketch alot too. Keeping my hands busy keeps my mind calmer.
almathews says
26 October 2016 at 16:24I’m glad I can help in some small way :) Yes! Keeping my hands busy helps so much! I like to colour which is very relaxing. Thank you for commenting!
Christena says
26 October 2016 at 10:55I used to write it out, but when I was younger it was more of recalling everything that happened so I could read it like a story these days I don’t want to write it down because I’m embarrassed mostly, but I do say and write my mantras THAT REALLY HELPS
almathews says
26 October 2016 at 16:30Yeah I understand what you mean. I used to write down what happened but now I’ve transitioned more in to writing how I feel and how that has affected me. But yes, the mantras really do help! Thanks for your comment :)
Alix says
26 October 2016 at 20:06Writing has always been a big outlet of emotions for me! That’s why I started blogging in the first place. :)
Alix | http://www.apintsizedlife.com
Shane says
27 October 2016 at 08:04I’m so sorry to hear you haven’t been feeling at your prime. With my anxiety, every day is a struggle, know you are not alone and a strong person!
almathews says
28 October 2016 at 14:01Thank you so much :)
CJ from Thirty30Courtney says
27 October 2016 at 16:20Writing has helped me tremendously. It actually spawned my second blog after months of deliberation but me needing an outlet. I need to do a better job of verbally saying affirmations instead of just writing them down.
almathews says
28 October 2016 at 14:03I’m so glad that writing has been so helpful for you. I guess that’s kind of how this blog came about too! Yeah, saying affirmations can be hard for me; if I can’t verbally say them, I repeat them in my head as ‘loud’ as I can. Thanks for your comment :)
Saba says
3 November 2016 at 19:10I can definitely relate, though often I end up forgetting to take a breather and calm down. I tell myself that fixing whatever’s got me down will make me feel better, when in reality I’m just over-stressing and all I need to do is take some time to get calm.
almathews says
3 November 2016 at 19:36I’ve definitely been there before! That’s what I do a lot until I hit my breaking point.