How to Bring Yourself Up When You’re Feeling Down

Have you been experiencing the roller coaster of emotions week after week? I sure have and it is not pleasant! From depressive episodes to full-blown break-downs, I have been struggling. After pulling myself back together from a recent trying event, I thought, how can I help other people who are hurting and going through a tough time? Perhaps, through writing… So today I’ll be discussing ways you can bring yourself up when you’re feeling down.

(Quick disclaimer: These methods have personally helped me, but please do whatever is in your best interest!!)

Acknowledge Your Hardships

I spent a great deal of my life brushing off situations that hurt me, believing that if I only focus on faking it till I made it, I would be okay. Turns out that brushing things off actually may lead to resentment, anger, and pain building up inside of you, even if you may not be aware of it. So, acknowledge your feelings. Recognize that perhaps you feel disappointed, frustrated, sad, or lonely. Not only is it healthy to come to these truths, but it allows freedom to confront the issues and hopefully resolve them.

Be Wary of Toxic Positivity

I wasn’t even aware of what toxic positivity was until I read about it in a recent post. Toxic positivity is essentially maintaining a positive and optimistic outlook in almost every situation even when it may not be healthy or beneficial to do so. The common mistake is pretending to be joyful when you’re going through a rough time. And while it’s wonderful to be grateful for what you do have in life, belittling or minimizing your true feelings is not healthy at all.

I am guilty of toxic positivity. Maybe I was trying to be happy among my friends because I didn’t want to be portrayed as that “emo girl.” Or perhaps I was uncomfortable to confront whatever it was that was bothering me, so it seemed easier to pretend that I was okay. Live and grow.

I’m not saying that having a positive or optimistic view is a bad thing. What I am saying is that it’s okay to be sad sometimes. It’s good to feel. Listen to positive affirmations if it makes you feel better. But do not minimize what you’re going through.

Be Proud Of What You Can Do

Sometimes when we’re feeling down, it’s harder to appreciate all of the things we are able to do. For instance, despite a long night of crying, I still got up the next day, got dressed, and went to work. Maybe that doesn’t seem like an achievement, but it was. I did that!

Be proud of yourself for what you are doing in your life. No matter how small the act, you still garnered the energy to do something. That’s worth acknowledging.

Spend Time in Nature

I know how hard it can be to go outside, especially during a pandemic. But I found that after one trip to the hills, looking at the views in front of me, I was free from all the noise from my life. It can be incredibly healing to be present in nature, feel the breeze on your skin, and melt into your surroundings.

If you don’t have the freedom to travel, take a walk around your neighborhood, sit on your front patio or balcony. Even if it’s just for a few minutes, fresh air does way more than we give it credit for.

Find Ways to Be Active

Finding the motivation to exercise is really tough. I am with you all the way. But exercising, no matter what the form may be in, really does have the impact to boost your energy and mood. Whether you do yoga, dance, do aerobics, go on a run or a walk, that activity matters.

Of course, go easy on yourself. Some days may be easier to be active than others. Just do what you can!

Meditate

There are so many meditation videos available online. From anxiety reduction to waking up with good vibes, I highly recommend trying this out. For me, it helps quiet the noise in my mind. I love how meditation focuses on reflection, breathing, and rest.

I know how easy it is to shrug it off, saying that you don’t have time. In fact, I discuss that briefly in my guide to organizing your time post, but here’s the cool thing: You don’t have to pick a long meditation video. There are plenty of 2-5 min videos out there for us busy folks. So consider taking 2 mins out of your day to breathe and rest.

Listen to Your Favorite Playlists

Music is such a wonderful way to express your feelings. If you’re feeling down, I recommend listening to the bands and artists that make you feel good. More often than not, we pick the songs that reflect our vibes or feelings at the moment. So if you’re in the mood for a slow ballad, listen to it. Feel it. Get lost in the moment. It is freeing!

Reach Out

One of the hardest things to do is reach out when you’re feeling sad. You may feel like you’re a burden or that your feelings are too heavy for your friends to listen to. However, I think it’s important to surround yourself with a support network. Try to talk with your closest friends, share with them.

Sometimes all we need to do is vent and get out all of the anxiety, turmoil, and loneliness. Having a friend by your side at least gives you reassurance that you are not alone.

Alter Your Space

Environment plays such an important role in our moods. I found that I was becoming increasingly suffocated and depressed in my living environment. So, now I’m on a mission to create and alter my space to reflect a happier and cozier place for me.

For example, I created a gallery wall of portraits that spoke to me. Next on my list, getting cute wall divider and a hanging terrarium.

If buying a plant, hanging art on your walls, or buying a new rug for your room, boosts your mood, I say do it!

Express Yourself

Find ways to express your feelings. I like to do this with journaling, but there are plenty of other ways to release your tensions. You can draw, paint, write a song, read, listen to music, workout, bake, etc…

I like to think of expression as any form of releasing. And go easy on yourself. I know many people may think, “Well, I can’t draw. I’m not creative at all.” That’s okay. You don’t have to be an amazing artist to create. I write because it makes me feel good. Do what makes you feel good.

Final Note

I guess that it goes without saying: Life will have its ups and downs. There’s no real way of preventing that. What we can do is experience the ups and downs and try to find ways to better cope with them.

Learning the art of coping has been a long journey for me. And I know that I’m not alone when I say that life, especially recently, has been challenging. But that’s exactly why I wrote this post. So if you’re that someone out there who is hurting, I hope that you can find ways to bring yourself up from feeling down.

Good luck on your journey,

Harumi