There are days when we feel so down and down, maybe for some reason or not at all. No matter what situation you find yourself in, it’s always so important to value your feelings, take time for yourself, and process them patiently.
Sadness can take away our usual spirit and sometimes cause us a lot of difficulties. Our daily tasks seem a lot harder to accomplish, a friend’s joke is harder to laugh at, and yes, understanding and getting out of the dark seems like mission impossible! Don’t worry if you’re struggling with these issues, I’m here for you!
This is my diary of a gloomy day. These tips have helped me tremendously whenever I’ve been really sad. I hope it can help you too!
1. Be honest with yourself about how you feel
It is common to hide problems with a smile so as not to worry our loved ones. Yet sometimes we even get ourselves wrong about how we feel to live our days and not distract ourselves from our daily tasks. You might feel worse doing this because the “dark might” hasn’t gone away but stayed there and drained your energy. So being honest with yourself about your emotions and welcoming that feeling is essential. Why? Because your feelings and emotions deserve to be valued, whether good or bad.
2. Be gentle with yourself
Yes, self-compassion is super vital. It could mean and include many things, so I’m just going to write a few examples of acts of self-compassion.
- Don’t force yourself to be happier instantly. We are human beings, not robots.
- Remember that it’s okay to be sad for no reason, everyone has days like this, and you’re always worthy of love and support. Plus, it’s completely okay to take a break, relax, and rejuvenate emotionally and spiritually. Don’t feel guilty!
- If you feel like crying or screaming, let him out! Do whatever you think is an effective way to release your emotions. You should find a safe space where you can express yourself without fear without disturbing or hurting anyone.
- Don’t judge or criticize yourself. You do your best.
- Don’t let anyone say anything negative to you and affect how you feel about yourself. Trust your opinion of yourself rather than anyone else’s.
3. Manage your emotions wisely
It’s important that you manage your emotions wisely so they don’t negatively impact your thoughts, decisions, and even your health. The goal is to focus on those emotions, but not let them dominate your mind.
I have a story to tell you. It was my first time joining the school theater group and I was very nervous. I screwed up during the audition and ended up having the characters only stay on stage for a few minutes. Yes, it was hard to explain how ashamed and inferior I felt among my peers, but now I’m glad I didn’t drop out of the band just because of a few bad days. Why? Because I knew in my mind that this was where I wanted to be and that some manageable emotions shouldn’t be the primary causes of any decision.
It’s true that you should value your emotions, but letting them affect the way you make important decisions isn’t very wise. You might even end up regretting it later. Remember to be mindful in all situations and be careful when deciding something while you’re not at your best!
4. Treat yourself!
It’s time to take care of yourself! This is my all time favorite part for me and I think it will be yours too. Indulging should be practiced all the time, but we have to take it a step further when we’re not feeling well, right? Treat yourself as you wish! Listen to music, devour a big bowl of ice cream (ok not too much), anything! There is an endless list of activities we can do with the resources we have. Here is mine as an example:
- Take a hot shower a little longer than usual.
- Put on my comfortable clothes and snuggle up under a cozy blanket.
- Ask for an extension if I have homework to do.
- Eat whatever I want but in moderation. (If you don’t crave an emotional eating session, stick to a nutritious diet and you’ll feel much better).
- Talk to someone I trust. Hugs are super effective in curing sadness!
- Go for a walk or run, weather permitting.
There are so many other things you can do to show yourself some love and improve your mood. Would you like to share some of what you do so we can all try? Comment below!
5. Slow down and recognize the good side of the problem
The act of self-care is about showing yourself a little love, and also slowing down and seeing what has always been there, maybe a solution, a silver lining or luck.
If I focused so much on feeling ashamed, I would have forgotten that being anxious and being scared is a sign that I was outside my comfort zone. Therefore, I should have been proud of myself instead!
There are always two sides to everything. If you can see the good and choose to focus on it, you win. If there is absolutely nothing good about the problem, a solution is waiting to be discovered.
In a case where you cannot see the problem and understand why you are feeling this way, try sitting down and thinking or writing down a few things you are grateful for or a few people you appreciate. Sometimes when life gets busy, we start to get so busy with our work that we forget to be grateful for what we have, and how lucky we all are!
Expressing gratitude during a difficult time isn’t easy, so if you can do it, I’m proud of you! You are much stronger than you think and capable of much more than you think!
6. Always hope for a better future!
Last, but not least, always expect a better future! It is important to keep in mind that nothing is permanent. Happiness awaits you very soon. Why? Because you deserve all the good things in life!
Every teenager has their own struggles and difficulties, so it’s very important to be kind and non-judgmental, even to yourself. Remember, you never get anything in life that you can’t handle, and you’re a lot tougher than you think!
Thanks for reading my article, and I hope you find these tips helpful!
