10 Ways to Feel Better When You Are Feeling Down
Depression hits me towards the end of winter, when my eyes, skin, and being need the sun. I've also experienced baby blues, extreme sadness over personal issues, and other such mood downers.
This is not the same as clinical depression which can include insomnia, inexplicable pains, loss of appetite and other heavy symptoms.
Still, it doesn't take clinical depression to have days when you don't want to get out of bed, feel mucky for no good reason, and don't understand why you are so irritable. Kind of like Monica, except its not the 90's and you have a whole family to take care of, not just some needy boyfriend.
Monica
Here is a list of tricks to try, to help pull you out of those blues. These little helpers can really lighten things up.
Fake it till you make it.
If your sister or best friend are helping you track your mood for signs of a deeper issue, then please be honest. However, this doesn't mean that you can't make yourself pretend everything is going well. Go ahead and put on that lipgloss and mascara, drink that coffee, smile at the grocery clerk.
You can just go around the world grumpy and hidden behind a hoodie hoping not to bump into anyone you know, or you could just pretend that you are feeling good, and see if the mood catches on. Imagine catching your glimpse in a mirror and seeing a smile. Wont that feel better than the opposite?
Your self-esteem should not always be connected to your looks, but when your mood and self esteem is down, use your looks and make up tricks to help pick you back up.
Fake it and watch reality catch up.
Take Yourself Dancing
Even if its just in your living room. Even if its just in your room wearing headphones while you bop your head. Listen to some music and imagine yourself dancing and moving around. Even just imagining a good dance will release some feel good hormones in you.
Sometimes days are so bad that music is heavy and dense and palpable with senses beyond the ears. On days when you haven't reached that point, use music and dancing as movement towards a better mood.
Stick to happy, feel good music and try to move with it. The exercise will help move your depression away.
Eat Foods with Magnesium
This abstract gives more details but basically most people don't get enough magnesium and magnesium imbalances affect our mood.
Nuts, oatmeal and avocados all have lots of magnesium. Enjoy.
Have Some Cuddles
Cuddling releases oxytocin and oxytocin makes you feel good. You can get it from a puppy, and baby, and even a hugging a pillow, giving yourself a foot massage an taking a warm bath.
Rub your own shoulders and give yourself a face massage, tug your hair a little and pull your ears. Make yourself release some oxytocin and then enjoy that feel good buzz.
Open some windows, get some fresh air
Fresh air makes you happier according to this article. It also strengthens your immune system, improves your blood pressure and heart rate, and cleans your lungs.
Do some journal therapy
I have a stack of journals and some of them are disposable. I gear up during back to school sales and get notebooks for as low as 10 cents a piece. The dollar store also has some good ones, and sometimes, I even make some simple journals for myself.
Take one of your journals and write down everything that sucks. Sometimes when Im journaling I hold back a little, if I have an embarrassing thought, or something I don't really want to remember, I don't want to jot it down in my journal - I keep those! This is a disposable journal, so if you want to admit that you pee a little when you cough sometimes, then go ahead. Write down everything that sucks.
Now destroy the journal. Yup, just get rid of it. Tear it up, rip it in shreds, burn it if you have a safe place to burn things. As you are destroying the journal imagine all the negative things inside your journal just disappearing.
Theres something mood lifting about ripping stuff up.
Mirror Talk
Stand in front of that mirror and start telling yourself some compliments. Look at your nice hair, of the perfect arch in your eyebrow. Enjoy your high cheekbones and pretty lips. Marvel at your smooth skin, look at your perfect for you nose.
There is something beautiful about you, stand in front of that mirror and tell yourself all about it. It doesn't have to be physical, you can compliment your perseverance, ability to love, braveness, or cooking skills.
Find the good, share it with yourself.
Take time to do something you are good at
Are you good at braiding hair, crocheting, sending mail art, putting meal together, making jewelry, creating web pages and posts. What do you do well? Is it sketching, painting, or working with clay? Whatever it is, find the time to do it, so you can see your awesome creations and feel good about yourself.
Wear bright colors
Literally brighten up your day. If the sun isn't shining, make yourself bright.
I like black. Its easy to wear and matches everything. But when Im feeling down, I crochet with bright colors, wear a bright shirt, and even try on some colorful headbands. Color attracts light, and light is good when you are feeling heavy.
Consume feel good media
If you don't feel good, then watching the news won't make it better. Neither will reading that sad book, or watching that angst inducing movie.
Fill yourself with light media, funny stuff, feel good posts, and smiles and sunshine.
You can deal with "real world" problems when you feel better (or never - the happiest times of my life have been daily news free times).
These are some tricks I use to keep me happy when my mood doesn't want to be happy. Like Reverend Ike says: "You tell your feelings how to feel."
Do you have any, stay happy tricks? Id love to read about them in the comments.
That was a great post on self care. I just finished a book called Sleep Smarter and it really helps to see similiar information again because it's incredibly useful stuff. I wish I could experiment with magnesium but Asia doesn't have many stores that have it :(
Great post @metzli!! The dancing mama made me laugh out loud for real!!! 😂 I tend to accidentally bump into my kids but with my pregnant belly instead lol!!
I didn’t know that about magnesium, I’m taking note. I agree about opening a window and getting fresh air. Sometime when I step outside to sit on the porch I feel better instantly.
Thank you for another great write up~ 😊
Lol - the kid bumping.
From what I read, we get less magnesium than people did in Times past because we tend to eat less animal organs AND out food sources have become depleted of it. I don’t take supplements but I eat my avocados and greens.
I was getting into the habit of ordering pizza in Friday nights - so now I get a veggie box delivered instead. I just got some spinach, avocados, cauliflower, and other stuff - I’d be crazy to order a pizza. I check my order during the week and make sure it has some magnesium filled foods.
Opening windows is great but I have to admit that sometime you just have to leave the city and get into some trees!
Thanks for stopping by. I know you’re a busy woman.
Haa!! I know right! My kids are like “Mama watch that belly!” 😂
That makes a lot of since about the magnesium. Our foods are definitely depleted of a lot of good stuff these days. Half the time we really don’t know what we’re eating.
That’s great that you are getting in that habit of ordering those healthier foods.
Sure! I love reading your blog! 😉
Who does pee while coughing? I thought some people just pee a tiny bit when laughing! :D
Thanks for the tips. I do tear things apart, dress bright, fake it and get cuddles when I have what I call situational depression - a low mood of the first 2 days of my period.
Tearing journals and scratching stuff of is the best. ❤️❤️❤️
Wow.. @metzli this is awesome self-care. By doing all what you have mentioned earlier, I think one don't need to visit any clinic. Dancing is one of the best thing to be doing when we are feeling down, dancing make one to look fit, it's exercise the body, it's would exercise the veins and looking healthy. Thank you for useful information. This picture dancing make me laugh and laugh in fact, so funny.
It's funny dancing. Haha
Sorry I can't watch the video due to my low data. Happy new month darling, Stay fit
Aw, too bad you can't see the video. The toddler you see right there gets bumped by the Momma's behind, it made me laugh lots too.
Here in the states, clinical depression means you are getting treated by a professional, it includes counseling, a treatment program, sometimes medication and sometimes a diet change. In my research (brief stint in Nursing School, lots and lots of reading) I learned that those with heavy depression, can't just dance themselves better, they need more help.
I didn't want to insult those in treatment for depression by telling them to "just" smile, dress brighter, and eat better. Sometimes their depression is caused by their neurons not firing correctly or some other type of medical issue.
Still, for many of us, a good dance and laugh with a friend will take us back to happiness, even if only temporarily.
Thank you for stopping by.
You're Absolutely right in your research. Those with heavy depression we need to help them just to keeping them smiling.
Not at all, you are not insulting them, you're just giving them word of encouragement. Stay blessed
We should not look down on ourselves cos it ain't helping situations. Feel happy even every single time we
I JUST learned about an herb that makes oxytocin - how cool is that? Lovage is the common name. Going to check into it, but thought I would throw that out here!
I looked it up but didn’t find anything. Please share what you find.
Here you go!
https://www.herbs-for-health.com/osha-root-benefits/
That's a great post,I think will try do your tips when My feeling down..thanks for share us a good tips
You’re welcome. Thanks for stopping by.
This post has received upvote by @bestboom!
|| An upvote service which gives 2.5x return ||
Congratulations! This post has been upvoted from the communal account, @minnowsupport, by metzli from the Minnow Support Project. It's a witness project run by aggroed, ausbitbank, teamsteem, theprophet0, someguy123, neoxian, followbtcnews, and netuoso. The goal is to help Steemit grow by supporting Minnows. Please find us at the Peace, Abundance, and Liberty Network (PALnet) Discord Channel. It's a completely public and open space to all members of the Steemit community who voluntarily choose to be there.
If you would like to delegate to the Minnow Support Project you can do so by clicking on the following links: 50SP, 100SP, 250SP, 500SP, 1000SP, 5000SP.
Be sure to leave at least 50SP undelegated on your account.