We all feel a bit down in the dumps sometimes.
It’s a natural fact of life. “What goes up must come down,” is a popular idiom for a reason, and has proven to be true time and time again.
Still, when we’re feeling low, it can be difficult to recognize the good parts of life, or look forward to the future. Feeling down also often causes a sort of pessimism about life, which can make it harder to cheer up. When this happens, it’s always good to have some tried-and-true methods for making yourself feel better.
But just in case you haven’t yet developed a solid plan for cheering yourself up—or even if you want to try something new—here are some good ways to make yourself feel happy on those rainy-day moods that we all have at times.
Bright yellow balls are lined up in a row, each with different facial expressions painted on them. Experiencing a range of emotions every day is normal, but it’s important that overall, you feel satisfied and happy with your life. If you don’t, evaluate what’s making you unhappy, and see what you can do to change it.
5 Ways to Cheer Yourself Up
- Exercise. It may not seem like the most fun way to pass the time, but cheering yourself up by exercising is proven to scientifically work. It doesn’t have to be anything strenuous, either—you can pick your favorite yoga poses, or even just go for a walk around your neighborhood.
- Read your favorite book, or watch your favorite movie. All of us have our comfort books/movies—the things that we turn to when we feel a bit lost, and want to turn to something familiar and cozy. When you’re feeling sad, don’t hesitate to pull out that piece of content and reconnect with it. It’ll help you feel more grounded and ready to take on the world.
- Take a nap. Sometimes when we feel down, it’s because we’re overstressed or exhausted. Letting yourself take a break and recharge can actually go a long way towards improving your mood.
- Write in a gratitude journal. One of the ways to stay happy is to keep a gratitude journal, where you write down things that you’re grateful for in your life—maybe you’ve been getting better sleep one day, or someone helped you carry your groceries the next. By writing these things down, you’re focusing on positive things and experiences, which. can definitely get you into a better headspace if you’re feeling down.
- Practice self-care. Doing things like taking a bubble bath, putting on a face mask, or eating a bar of chocolate can all help you feel more relaxed. Sometimes we all deserve to treat ourselves, so if you’re feeling down, light a scented candle and make yourself some tea. You deserve it.
Takeaways
Feeling sad shouldn’t be something that you shy away from or that you feel ashamed of. It’s a natural part of life, even if it is unpleasant.
Still, if you feel down more often than not, or if you show other symptoms of depression, reach out to your doctor or therapist and see what can be done for you.
You deserve to live a happy, full life, and the first way to ensure that is to reach out and tell people when you need help.
