Life is full of ups and downs.
If there’s anything you can be sure about in life, it’s that you’re going to experience a blend of happiness and sadness as you move throughout the different periods of your life, and create your day to day human experience.
Of course, happy times feel really good. We like to laugh, smile, and feel fulfilled and satisfied.
But unfortunately, life doesn’t always go that way.
And neither do our emotions.
Sometimes, you just feel down.
Sometimes, things happen that make you sad.
Sometimes, your feelings just take a downward turn—either for a specific reason, or even for no reason at all.
The first thing you have to understand about this is that this is completely natural.
Every human has ups and downs.
But in this post, you’re going to learn 4 methods that you can use to help yourself feel better when you’re feeling a little bit down.
Let’s dig in and get happier.
1. Acknowledge That This Is Normal
To be honest, one of the most unpleasant things about feeling down is that it makes us want to change how we feel.
We don’t like feeling down.
And so, one of the first things we do when we feel that way is to try and find things to focus on that will bring us out of it.
Well, this isn’t altogether a bad approach. It’s just really important to understand that it might also be useful to remind yourself that feeling down is a pretty normal part of life.
And it’s going to happen sometimes.
So recognizing it as normal, and even healthy at times, can actually do a lot to make you feel a bit more at peace about it.
2. Distract Yourself With Something Happy
Once you acknowledge that you feel down, and that it’s a pretty normal way to feel sometimes, it can be helpful to distract yourself with something happy.
Watching a funny movie, listening to some comedy, or laughing with your friends are just a few examples of how to manufacture happiness as a bit of a distraction during a ‘feeling down’ time.
3. Be Social
This is such a common tip for being happy that it’s almost cliche.
But, it’s a common tip for a reason—because it works.
Spending time around our friends and family members can do a lot to lift us up and help us feel better.
So if you feel like you may be heading into a downer mood, consider:
- Reaching out
- Going out, or
- Inviting some people over
4. Learn To Be Happy By Yourself
And now we’re going to talk about the tip that’s almost the exact opposite of the last one…
Spending time with friends is an awesome way to feel better when you’re feeling down.
But it’s also true that we’re going to be spending some time alone during our lifetime as well.
Solitude can be challenging. But it can also be very healthy in controlled doses.
And it’s something that we should all learn to be comfortable with.
If you can learn how to be comfortable and happy by yourself, even in times when you feel a little bit down, you’ll end up being a much stronger and happier person overall.
This will also teach you to value your friends and family members that much more when you do get to spend time with them.
Conclusion
There you have it.
4 ways to feel better when you start to feel a little bit down.
Of course, every person is a little bit different.
And it might take some experimentation for you to figure out exactly what helps the most.
So be willing to try new things, and figure out what works best for you.
Bad moods, like good moods, come and go.
They’re just a part of life.
And you’ve absolutely got what it takes to see them through.