How do you feel today? Are you high or low, sad, or happy? Do you feel loved or lonely?
When was the last time you truly checked in with yourself?
Being busy with life has distracted us from assessing what truly matters— our feelings. If we’re not feeling up to something, we won’t have the energy to do it, plain and simple.
Sometimes the best thing to do when you’re not feeling like yourself is to do the complete opposite of what you had planned.
If you planned a full day with scheduled time slots to accomplish everything on your to-do list and you woke up on the wrong side of the bed, cancel everything.
Your mental health is top priority. Powering through what you’re feeling is not always the best idea. Sometimes you need to press the brakes and stop for the day.
Your brain sends signals to your body to accomplish specific duties throughout the day but some days it just wants to rest; fighting that feeling could be futile.
Listen to your body— it always knows what’s best for you.
What do you do when you feel blue
Waking up on the wrong side of the bed sucks! It wedges a huge stick between you and your plans and has you trying to figure out why you’re suddenly in a rut.
If you’re having one of those days, it’s best to just let the feeling play itself out while you shower yourself with so much love that you can’t help but smile.
It’s more common than you think: everyone has bad days. Some days last longer than others, but even too shall pass.
Experiencing sad days makes you human. You have the ability to feel the entire spectrum of emotions and you should feel lucky about that.
At one point in my life, I felt like I lost all my ability to feel anything but anger. I would do things just to make me feel a little rush of joy or to experience a belly rumbling laugh but no matter what I did I felt nothing.
This feeling takes years to understand and, to be honest, I still don’t quite understand it. However, I have figured out a way to help my mood get back on track whenever sadness wants to poke his head up to come out and play.
Don’t ever allow lower-level emotions like anger and fear to get the best of you. They are masking a root problem and are actually guarding you from hurt.
Avoidance isn’t the answer. When you deal with what’s bothering you, you’ll be able to understand it, learn from it, and move on from it.
5 tips to chase away the blues
- Get out of the house
Stay away from your bedroom, dark areas of your house, and, if you can, avoid your home completely. We all have our favorite spot where we lay and pretend the world doesn’t exist. This is the worst thing to do when you’re not feeling like yourself. Avoid falling back into a routine that will prolong your sad day.
- Surround yourself with love
Physically being around someone you care for and who cares for you will make you feel better without trying too hard. When the ones you care about know that something is wrong, they’ll not only give you the space you need to work through your emotions but they’ll make sure you know they’re always there for you when you need them. Simply being in the presence of those people will turn your day around for the better.
- Don’t force yourself
As I explained earlier if you had a hectic day planned, cancel it all. Take it easy throughout the day. Do only the things that you want to do, not what someone else is forcing you to do. If the kids have a crazy day planned, let your partner take the reins while you rejuvenate.
Nothing lifts your spirit more than doing something you genuinely enjoy. No work or duty-related tasks. It has to be something that is purely for personal reasons. Wallow in the simple joys of what piques your intentions. It could be something as simple as watching the cartoons you used to watch as a child. Since YouTube has everything, I’m sure you’d enjoy some nostalgia.
- Go for a walk
Walking is the most effective and simple exercise. Walk more to change your mood. A simple stroll will have you analyzing everything, which will get you thinking about everything else other than your sadness. A long walk, especially during the colder months, will help numb your face and release your negative energies.
Don’t wait for the next time that you’re feeling blue to ask your reflection this invaluable question, “How do you feel today?”
Check in on yourself regularly. You must be your first choice. There’s no room for anyone else if you’re not feeling like yourself.
