Life is full of ups and downs- unfortunately, we all feel sad sometimes and it can be hard when things go wrong. From relationship breakups to the death of loved ones, failed exams, missed opportunities and more, it can take a toll on our mental health and leave us in a dark place emotionally. It’s normal to feel sad sometimes and is absolutely ok to give yourself time and space to process these emotions and work through things. There are some things you can do too to help yourself to feel better, here are five ways to help yourself to feel better when you’re going through something difficult.
Practice Self Care
When you’re feeling low, it’s so easy to neglect yourself. Keeping on top of self care and picking back up on those good daily practices can make such a difference to the way that you feel, and best of all it can be done from home. Running a nice hot bath and enjoying some pampering skincare products, mindfulness meditation, spending some time cooking a nice meal and reading a book are all things you can do to give yourself a little boost.
Do Something Proactive
Sometimes, taking your mind off what’s bothering you is your best bet. Other times, being proactive about the situation can help. If for example you’ve failed an exam, you could spend some time creating a revision timetable and plan how you’ll approach your next exam to ensure success. Maybe you’ve recently experienced a loss and are grieving, in this case doing something to plan for the funeral could help. You could research headstones and look at reviews for different companies. You could start brainstorming ideas for the obituary, or start sorting through your loved ones belongings. It all depends how you feel, but for some people, being proactive can be a great way to process their emotions and they can find it really helpful.
Spend Time With Friends
A problem shared is a problem halved, so getting together with friends and talking things through will always be beneficial. When you’re struggling and going through a difficult time, it’s easy to start to ruminate- going over and over things in your mind and coming to no resolution. Speaking to a friend can give you a fresh perspective, and sometimes all you need is to see things from someone else’s eyes. Good friends can offer advice, guidance or just be a shoulder to cry on when you need to vent and let out your emotions. Don’t bottle up the way you’re feeling, good friends will be happy to be your rock during a difficult time.
Seek Medical Help
Finally, if you’ve been struggling for a while and nothing seems to be helping, reach out for medical help. Your GP will be able to advise if medication or therapy, even in the short term, will be an effective way to deal with things. Sometimes you just need a little extra help to get through the situation so you don’t spiral and so things don’t get worse.
