8 Ways On How To Feel Good During Bad Times
When there’s a lot of uncertainty in your life, you feel insecure.
This drives your emotion down and stimulates your stress response.
Over time, this takes a big toll on every aspect of your life, mental, physical and spiritual. Let’s take a look at some ways you can lessen these effects.
How do you keep your emotion up when life gets you down?
You have a choice when life gets difficult.
You can get pulled down by all the noise or challenges life throws at you – or you can take steps to overcome all of it and take control of your life.
There are many ways to keep yourself up even during bad times.
Taking care of your physical, mental, and spiritual health is the key. Doesn’t have to be a lot, but it has to be something.
Let’s go over some tips for feeling good during bad times.
1 – Mindfully practice self-care
Self-care keeps you feeling good no matter what’s happening in your life.
Self-care is any type of activity or practice that enhances and protects your wellbeing, including physical, emotional, and mental health.
There are many things you can do, but you can’t do all of them. Choose the ones that resonate, and see if they help you.
What are some self-care tips to keep you feeling good:
Journaling – When you deeply write out your feelings or emotions, it can have a very good effect on your mind. It can unstick you from your worries and help you find solutions.
Taking a hot, relaxing bath
Spiritual practices – Whatever those are for you
Listen to calming music
Meditate, practice mindfulness or do yoga – download the free mindfulness guide I mentioned earlier. It’ll help a lot.
Regularly go on walks to get some fresh air and exercise – as you walk, try to stay mindful and keep your attention on external objects rather than your thoughts.
Cut down on screen time & negative news stories – We’re pounded every day with negativity. This stimulates the stress response. Try avoiding the news or internet for a week or so.
2 – Try to focus on the positive aspects of life
You really need to stop dwelling on the negative parts of life or the things that annoy you. Try to focus on what’s good in your day, no matter how small. Use your imagination. This is not denial, it’s survival. You’re just choosing what you’ll focus your attention on. That’s important.
Maybe it’s time with family or pets. Maybe it’s time to relax and watch your favorite show, work on a project, or write.
Taking some time to appreciate the good things in your life does amazing things for your mental health.
3 – Mix Up Your Routine
A change of scenery and routine from time to time is life changing.
Seeing something new and changing up the routine is great for your mental health and even your physical health.
This can lift your mood, elevate your perspective, and keep life feeling fresh instead of heavy.
4 – Get off your own back
Go easy on yourself when life is difficult. Acknowledge yourself for your efforts and hard work living life. Don’t blame or judge yourself harshly. We’re never as bad as we think we are.
If you need to make some changes, make a plan, and start working on it. This alone will have dramatic effects.
5 – Find a creative outlet
What’s yours? What creative endeavor have you always wanted to try? Expressing yourself is a therapeutic way to keep your spirits up when life gets tough.
Learn to sing, draw, paint, write, try out a sport. Whatever you’re passionate about that gets you away from negativity is golden.
6 – What part of your life do you have ability to control?
Ask yourself this “Is what’s bugging me something that I have any control over?”
Many things in our lives are simply beyond our control. Focus on using your energy on the parts of life that you CAN control.
This of course includes yourself, your attitudes, feelings, mindset, and your behavior. Let the stuff you have no power over go. Make plans for the stuff in life that you do have power over. It’s as simple as that.
7 – Connect with others
Share your experiences and struggles with friends, family, or supporters. Sharing highs, lows, successes, and failures are a great way to gain support, and comradery during tough times.
8 – Be a student of life
Learn from life. Self-reflect. Study your victories, your defeats. Use what you learn to do better next time. You’ll start to better understand yourself and develop self-awareness.
Life can be tough, gritty, and real. We can break from the stress of life’s challenges, or we can get tough, learn lessons, be thankful for the good, and move forward.
Keep your head up during hard times. Make yourself laugh and you’ll soon find something to laugh about. Come out the other side wiser and stronger.