5 Things to Remember When You’re Feeling Down

Rebecca Lewis July 03, 2015

No matter at what point in life we are, even in times of success, we can all feel down. Sadness, along with other negative emotions, naturally come and go. Some people may have everything they wish for in life, but that doesn’t mean they no longer feel down or stuck.

While you cannot completely spare yourself from experiencing it, there are things you can do to make yourself feel better. Sometimes, overcoming sadness or loneliness simply calls for a change in perspective.

Below are five important things that you need to remind yourself of, when feeling stuck, sad or lonely.

1) You have to feel it.

Doing away from the feeling is never going to help you. The thing is that the more you try to ignore it, the more the negative thought and emotions stay in your head. It may seem counterintuitive, but the first step to getting over sadness is to feel it and acknowledge that you are experiencing it. A good way to acknowledge unwanted feelings is with a pen and paper. Write down your feelings, sensations, even images that describe them. Allow yourself to experience the pain, as it is a normal part of life.

2) You are not alone.

Sharing your feelings to someone you trust is one great way to minimise the pain, confusion, anxiety and all those unwanted emotions you are experiencing right now. That is why talk therapy is very effective. Merely talking about what you are going through is really relieving. Find someone you are comfortable with. If you are hesitant to talk to a friend or loved one, seeing a therapist is a great option. Counsellors are trained to help people address varying issues in life, from everyday stress to relationship and career problems.

3) You are not a failure.

Just because you didn’t get what you aimed for doesn’t mean you are a failure. Just because things didn’t turn out as planned doesn’t mean you lost it. The more you think that you are a failure, the more that you are pulling down yourself. Failure is an outdated concept. Pursuing your dreams and not achieving it is not a failure. Not trying at all just to play it safe is failure. As long as you are doing your best, you are not a failure, whatever the outcome is.

4) Your ‘self’ needs you.

It is easy to love yourself when you are winning at life. The challenge is loving yourself when you’re not. Life is an adventure. You go through the ups and downs, the twists and turns. We win, we lose. But loving yourself, regardless of what you are going through, is imperative. You only have one body – one life. The more you want to take good care of it during difficult moments.

5) This too shall pass.

Sadness is not something you will experience forever, unless you let yourself to. Happiness is a choice, so they say. By deciding to feel better today, you can effectively deal with negative emotions that pull you down. Life’s full of challenges and it’s not all the time that we get what we want. But don’t despair. There’s a rainbow always after the rain.