Do you have overwhelming sad feelings that seem to rule the day? When you examine your life, do you see wasted time and failures that you ruminate on? It’s overwhelming to think of all the wasted chances, losses, and things that you could’ve done and haven’t.
Life is much more complicated than anyone anticipates, but you can’t just settle into a routine of sadness and regret and live in misery. Do you feel like you’ve given up, and your day’s only goal is to get by?
You long to feel happy again, and maybe you’ve forgotten how good it felt to smile and laugh. You can be satisfied when you learn how to shake off those sad feelings and focus on life’s positive aspects. It’s going to take some work, but you can turn that frown upside down with these tips and tricks.
1. Give Back
One of the easiest ways to stop ruminating on your problems is to help someone else. Spend one afternoon in a soup kitchen, and it can do wonders for your spirit. There is always someone else that has things worse than you, and when you are giving back, you will feel a sense of joy.
2. Count Your Blessings
When you wake up each morning, spend about five minutes being thankful for all the blessings that you have. Sure, you may feel melancholy and down, but the sad feelings can quickly be overcome when you show gratitude.
Remind yourself that you have food in the pantry, clothes in the closet, a car to drive, a job, and a house to call home. Think of all the people who could only wish for one of those things, let alone all you’ve been given. A heart full of gratitude will shy away from pessimism and have a more optimistic outlook.
3. Get Out in Nature
Do you feel depressed and are afraid that the sad feelings might not go away? One thing you can do to help is getting outside in the sun. Studies reveal that many people who feel a constant state of sadness suffer from a Vitamin D deficiency.
There’s something so healing and renewing when you’re outside, enjoying the sun’s golden rays, and inhaling the tranquil breeze. Take a walk around in your bare feet and feel the earth between your toes. You will see a dramatic increase in your feelings when you enjoy some time in the great outdoors.
4. Take a Social Media Break
Social media can be overwhelming at times. If you’re feeling lonely, it’s not the place to be. People only put on their wall what they want you to see. They might have a picture of a happy couple celebrating a birthday with their child.
However, it’s usually an illusion. Sure, they might have had a good party, but they didn’t tell you about the horrific fight before the picture was taken. Social media is where you can be anything you want to be and make people believe your life is a fairy tale when it’s far from magical.
If you feel overwhelmed by all the perfection and people’s bragging about what they had for dinner, then turn it off. There’s nothing that says you need to engage in social media to be part of the in-crowd. Perhaps, you could read a good book or do something that will stimulate your brain like a puzzle.
5. Eat Healthily
Did you know that what you eat could be eating you? If you consume donuts, potato chips, and snack cakes all day long, your sugar will spike. Additionally, your body isn’t getting the fuel it needs to keep mental health needs at bay.
Why do you think so many people love the Keto diet plan? One of the benefits of cutting out all that white bread and sugar is they have mental clarity. If you have depression and anxiety issues, it could have everything to do with your diet and lifestyle. Try cutting out the junk food and see if it affects your sad feelings.
6. Get at Least Seven Hours of Sleep
Your body needs rest to repair cell damage and restore your energy. If you’re struggling with insomnia or using your sleep hours as a bargaining tool for binge-watching television, you need to make some changes.
Did you know that if you don’t get enough sleep, you can actually cause your body to go into a state of depression? Psychologists reveal that going days without slumber can cause a sleep-deprived psychosis. Stop putting everything else before your rest, and make sure you get at least seven hours a night.
7. Socialize Often
No matter how overwhelming the sad feelings are to you, you need to make sure that you don’t close yourself off in a room and isolate. Remember the movie The Shining, where Jack was stuck from a snowstorm in a hotel? After a short while, the walls started closing in on him, and he went crazy.
While you can’t take everything you see in Hollywood at face value, there is some truth behind the writings of Stephen King. When you are by yourself in a small room, the walls can start talking. You need to get out and mingle with others. Not only is it good for your mental health, but it will also help you to get rid of the sad feelings that plague you.
8. Exercise
Do you get at least two or three hours of exercise each week? You don’t have to lift weights or bike ten miles to get in shape. It would help if you had something that gets your juices flowing and keeps your brain’s neurotransmitters at optimal levels.
Why not try speed walking in nature or swimming? There are so many things that you can do that will enhance your mental wellbeing and counteract those sad feelings. Exercise is just as powerful as taking an antidepressant medication.
If you feel depressed and lonely, then why not turn on some music and do some cardio. Chances are you will feel much better when you’re done.
9. Get Help
If the melancholy feelings don’t go away, then you may need to get help. No one wants to go to therapy, but they go to these sessions to work on their problems. Some issues are keeping you isolated and lonely and taking the “wind out of your sail.”
You can do many things in therapy that can help you conquer the demons that trouble your mind. When you are dealing with past failures and regrets, it’s easy to ruminate on your troubles so much that you forget about enjoying the day’s blessings. A therapist can help you to overcome these issues and find practical coping skills.
10. Engage in a Hobby
What do you like to do for fun? Do you love to crochet, play golf, run, go dancing at a club, or sit around a bonfire with friends and laugh? You need to engage in a hobby that will give you a reason to get out of the house.
How long has it been since you’ve spent the evening with friends or family? Is there a new movie that you want to see, or do you long to take a stroll through a park and take pictures of the birds? If you don’t have a hobby, now is an excellent time to find something you like to do.
The key is to engage your mind and focus on something other than your problems. If you feel sad and depressed, then find a group of people to engage in a hobby with you.
Final Thoughts on Beating Those Sad Feelings
The sun isn’t always going to shine as some days there will be rain. You won’t always be happy, but for every night comes a bright new day. When you feel overwhelmed by sadness, you need to find ways to channel those feelings and use them for good.
Remember the iconic television couple Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball? They were a married couple in real life who also starred on a hit TV show. Their lives were far from perfect, but when the cameras were rolling, they made people laugh. Ball was infectious with her charm and wit.
Everyone loved Lucy because she had a way of entertaining you and making you laugh about simple things. When the story broke that her husband had an alcohol problem, was guilty of infidelities, and they were divorcing, it was hard to believe.
Ball’s beauty was that she didn’t let anyone see the pain because she laughed her way through it. She learned how to use her strengths to do something she loved. Now, life is far from a Hollywood sitcom, but you can do the same things.
You can take your experiences and use them to help others. You can make someone laugh, help someone going through a similar thing, or be there to comfort those who are downtrodden. This list gives you ten ways to overcome sadness and depression and live a full and happy life.
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