How to feel better, when you are feeling low
A restless mind, a broken heart or anxiety that haunts us for days. These moods or situations are painful, but they only get troublesome if they prevent you from living your life. Even within these darker days there are tricks to live a fulfilling life. Here’s how:
Step one: First take inventory of the cause. Is it a specific situation, with a simple solution? Is it old pain that got triggered by something that happened, or is it a mood that makes you feel stuck for a while now? Take your time to understand the root of the feeling. Go into detail even when the cause is a complex one with a long history - especially then. Use our prompted journal, Dialogue with Self for this one.
Step two: Take any clarity that came up during journaling and use our mediation The Waves when you need you to make space for emotions that rise. You can use this one when you have a specific problem but need more confidence to make the decision you know you should make.
Step three: Redefine! Change your perspective of self. This is important, because in most cases we are the ones preventing ourselves from moving on. Unaware and unintentional of course. The Parts of Self meditation. Use this meditation to change the story you keep telling yourself about yourself. Or distance yourself from the opinions of others you took upon you as truth, when these opinions hold you back.
Step four: Take inspired action. Do things that make you love yourself, simply by doing them. Not as a consequence of the end result. This might be dancing to some of your favorite tunes or taking self portraits, redecorating your home. Get creative, read a book or cook a luxurious meal to eat while binging Netflix.
Step five: Now that you’ve gained clarity and got a little positive momentum going there is space to redirect your action and focus to more positivity. On a day with zero responsibility (when with kids find a sitter for a day) Take on a productive task, one that you can start and completely finish the same day. This brings little momentum to your self worth. Use this energy to make a list answering the following questions:
A focus point something you will do for yourself the following six months. Either to feel playful, be inspired or learn something new. Whatever you choose depends on what you love. The importance of this is, that in doing this there is no achievement or obligation attached to it.
Pick an intention something you will work towards, this can be something specific like saving for a new camera or holiday or something intagible like clarity in your career or your purpose. And spend every day a minimum of ten minutes doing something in relation to that intention. Research the topic, write something, read a few pages about it, meditate on it.
Step six: Make your bed. Every morning when you step out of your bed. Stand next to it and throw the duvet as high as you can and promise yourself you will focus on the love and compassion in today. Fluff your pillows and tell yourself, you will make sure you will be all right.
Please note that this guide is a suggestion. One that might work for you, especially if you make this practice a habit. But there is no quick fix solution for well being. It all takes practice.
