Today, I am sharing some self-help tips and tricks for when you’re feeling low. PLUS some journal prompts at the end to help guide you through.
- Make plans and stick to them. Find a friend or family member who won’t let you back out of pre-arranged plans.
- Schedule in a phone call or facetime with a loved one. Add it to the calendar so you know it is coming and can muster up the energy, even if you don’t want to. Reflect on how you feel after connecting with that person.
- Try a variety of relaxation strategies and find a few that work for you. Meditation, breathing exercises, yoga, mindfulness exercises. Prioritize them throughout the week.
- SLEEP! But not too much. 8 hours is the magic number for a reason. Also, try to switch off from screen time an hour or two before going to bed to ensure a better quality of sleep.
- Create your own “Go Box” – a toolkit of things that make you feel better. Some things in the toolkit can take time and energy and some can be easy to do with minimal effort – ie. Listen to music, draw a bath, read a book, go for a walk in nature, etc. Fill up your Go box with a variety of things to keep yourself prepared for some quality self care.
- Move your body and be mindful of your nutrition. Incorporating some physical activity and a balanced diet full of quality foods can do wonders to stabilize your mood. Include foods that are high in omega-3 are very beneficial.
Here is some journal prompts you can try to help guide you through this time:
- When did you last do something for yourself that you enjoyed?
- Identify one thing that you want to work on processing/letting go of.
- What are two things you are looking forward to in the near future?
- Name three things in life you are thankful for.
- What would you say to a loved one who was struggling with depression?
- Identify three things that trigger your feelings of depression, and how you may be able to avoid them.
Thanks for reading!
