Ways to improve your mood when you feel low

“The secret of joy is the mastery of pain.” ~ Anais Nin  

Since quite a sometime now, I got depressed and stayed depressed for a little over half a year. For that time, every single day was a battle with myself, every single day felt heavy and pointless.

I have since made tremendous progress by becoming more self-aware, practicing self-love, and noticing the infinite blessings and possibilities in my life, but I still have days when those familiar old feelings sneak up on me.

I’m not always self-aware, I don’t always love myself, and sometimes I agonize over everything I don’t have or haven’t accomplished.

I call these days “zombie days.” I’ll just completely shut down and desperately look for ways to distract myself from my feelings.

I suspect we all have zombie days from time to time. I think it’s important to give ourselves permission to not always be happy, but there are also simple ways to improve our mood when we’re feeling down.

Everybody is different, and everybody has different ways of dealing with pain, but if you’re looking for suggestions, you may find these helpful:

1. Step back and self-reflect. Whenever I start feeling depressed, I try to stop, reflect, and get to the root of my feelings. 

2. Reach out to someone. I used to bottle up my feelings out of fear that I would be judged if I talked about them. I’ve since learned that reaching out to a loving, understanding person is one of the best things I can do. And the role is played by my husband only.  

 3. Write. Writing is usually the first thing I do when I’m feeling down. It always helps me get my thoughts and feelings out in front of me. And that is why I have started writing new blog which was all about love and the stories we live. Check that out on tanukathuria.blogspot.in

4. Take a nap. Sometimes we just need to recharge. I always feel better after getting some rest. Because that is the best way to shut your mind and stop thinking about anything and everything which makes you feel depressed and low.  

5. Go for a walk. Walking always helps me clear my head and shed negative energy. It’s especially therapeutic if you choose to walk at a scenic location.  

6. Do something spontaneous. Some of my favorite memories entail choices I made spontaneously. We should all learn to let go of routine every now and then and do something exciting and unplanned.  

    

7. Prioritize. Sometimes I feel depressed when my priorities are out of balance. I try to make sure I’m giving a fair amount of attention to all the priorities in my life, such as work, relationships, health, and personal happiness.

8. Look through old photographs or snap some new ones. Sorting through old memories or capturing new ones usually puts a smile on my face. 

  

9. Laugh. Watch a funny movie or spend time with someone who has a good sense of humor. Laughing releases tension and has a natural ability to heal.  

10. Cry. I don’t like crying in front of people, but whenever I have an opportunity to slink away and cry by myself, I always feel better afterwards. Crying releases pain.  

11. Read back over old emails or text messages. Whenever I feel dejected or bad about myself, I like to read kind emails and comments from my blog readers. Doing so reminds me that I’m loved, thought about, and appreciated. 

12. Reconnect with someone. Get back in touch with an old friend or a family member that you haven’t spoken to in a while. Reconnecting with people almost always puts me in a good mood and fills my heart up with love.   

13. Bake something. Baking has always been therapeutic and entertaining for me. Plus, I can eat whatever I baked and share it with others afterward. 

14. Focus on what truly matters to you. Sometimes I forget what matters to me and what isn’t that important. Some things just aren’t worth getting too upset over. 

15. Take a negative comment or situation and look for something positive about it. If someone says something negative to me or I get stuck in an unpleasant situation, sometimes it helps to look at it from a different angle. Perspective is everything.  

16. Let go. This is a very simple mantra of mine. I usually say it to myself multiple times each day, which has been very liberating and empowering.