8 Things To Do Now If you're Feeling Low
There’s this meme of Jeff Goldblum dancing in a move of happiness while wearing a sweater covered in hearts. The quote next to him says, “Everything is fleeting including sadness.” I latched right onto the image, loved the sentiment and kept it in my mental archive, because I enjoy the quirkiness of Golblum and, more importantly, believe in the message. Everything is transient, especially when it comes to feelings.
I say this after YEARS where I got caught up in the feelings of the moment, so much so that I would go down the rabbit hole of misery for hours (and sometimes days) thanks to a mood or grudge. In my case, I think it had to do with being foolish, young and placing way too much weight on feelings.
Over the years, I’ve learned to recognize the waste of time it is to dwell in the moments when thoughts trigger emotions (which result in feelings), where instead of recognizing the true source, I identified with the feelings as a permanent state rather than a temporary frame of mind.
If you want to better understand the difference between the emotions and the feelings, I recommend reading the great article, “How to Measure Emotions and Feelings (And The Difference Between Them) by Bryn Farnsworth Ph.D over at iMotions.
A big part of our life story is about sussing out the past and acknowledging that our feelings about it are based on present circumstances. We are always viewing our past through our present, so much so that even our memories are subject to change.
And yet, even when we know what we feel is temporary, it helps to have some tools to propel us forward when we are stuck in a lull of the moment. Here, I share 8 of my absolute favorite ideas to take a break from low feelings and turn the corner to get back to your day.
1. Eat or drink something. You might want the chips or candy, but go for something fresh—an apple, some nuts, a cold iced water. Often when we ebb “low,” it’s really our body asking for some nutrition or hydration. For more ideas on foods to eat to boost your energy check out the article, “Foods The Beat Fatigue,” over at Healthline.
This was one of the first tips Stephen Guise, who coined the phrase “mini habits,” mentioned in his book “Mini Habits: Smaller Habits, Bigger Results” as a source for slow energy. I talk about my experiences forming mini habits in my blog post, and how energy and motivation can be factored out when trying to achieve results.
2. Dance like nobody is watching. Get up and turn on the music you love and just let your body move to the groove. The shift of your body in tandem with catchy music will release endorphins and help boost you up.
Of course, dancing is also exercise, and as Lindsay Holmes over at Huffington post writes in “Dancing Isn’t Just Fun, It’s Good For Your Health,” the extra perks of dancing include cardio fitness, balance, and cognitive benefits.
3. Browse at your public library. Under this tip I’d like to add that picking up some children’s books is a great way to spend a few minutes diverting your brain while enjoying delightful stories and illustrations. Pick up some of your old favorites on display.
Time has a wonderful list of 100 of the best children’s books to consider. I challenge you not to feel better after reading “Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type” by Doreen Cronin with illustrations by Betsy Lewin. The hens and cows waiting expectantly for electric blankets are positively hilarious.
Another self-care activity waiting at the library is the list of magazines available for you to check out. Find a cozy spot and indulge in titles you recognize and the more obscure niche publications you might not have known exist. There is nothing better than the feel of the heavy weight of slick magazine pages between finger and thumb, and flipping from one enticing image to another taking in two-page spreads with fantastic layouts and fabulous fonts to inspire creativity.
4. Go for a walk. Take yourself or go with a friend or family member to head outdoors for a brisk walk. Movement is good for the body and the mind. In the article “8 Ways Walking Changes Your Brain for The Better, According to Science” over at Bustle, Kyli Rodriguez-Cayro outlines many studies that point to how walking increases endorphins, blood flow and energy.
It is fascinating how simple, affordable and easy walking for even 20 minutes a day can be, ultimately changing the trajectory of mood and physical wellbeing. And if you walk and talk your way through with a companion, you can enjoy the creative, soul-refreshing workout of getting your brain thinking outside the box while supporting someone else.
5. Clean and organizing something…anything for a bit. I personally live in more clutter than others might tolerate, but generally I know where stuff is. That said, I try hard to be careful about the stuff I bring in, and when the mood strikes to clean I go for it. When I do, I find that ordering things, cleaning surfaces, washing the dishes and mopping the floor are activities that can be soothing. Why? I think there is a meditative nature in the repetition of work that helps us go Zen, and creating order out of chaos is gratifying.
It turns out that cleaning is akin to solving immediate issues within our control, too, which feels great. That was one of the biggest takeaways I gleaned from the article “How Spring Cleaning Can Help Manage Stress, According to Psychologists” by Amy Capetta over at Good Housekeeping. When we feel anxious and are dealing with stress, reordering our stuff and cleaning our surroundings can help lift us up.
And another point I can speak to personally is how removing items seems to help resurface thoughts and ideas while “making room” for something new and often better. Clean your desk and find the check you thought was lost. Complete a project and remove it from your space, and a new project you really want can take its place. By physically making room, we often emotionally make room as well.
6. Do something kind for someone else. I send a nod in recognition to Ginger Johnson, who is a speaker, coach and author helping people connect. I met Ginger for a time when she lived in Des Moines, and have been following her work ever since. I find her inspiring videos filled with ideas for connecting and being authentic in working with others. I purchased her book “Connection Canon” months ago, and one of her first suggestions was to go out and make a point of engaging in small moments of connection with others.
I know it sounds insignificant, but I tend to go all-in with this suggestion at my nearby grocery store in the neighborhood where I’ve lived for more than 35 years. By just saying hello to the people I see almost daily, I realized a difference in my attitude and in how I view others and the world. Giving the gift of a hello and acknowledgement of another person is a lovey way to step outside of self, and thus outside of a feeling in the moment. For more on Ginger, her book and her work, you can check her out here.
The concept of passing kindness forward has been trending for years but has never seemed more important than it does now. The act of saying hello can blossom into other acts of kindness, including sending notes of kind thoughts and saying more kind words when we can, which all impacts attitude and outlook.
7. Stretch your body. Those who love yoga know this already, but a stretching routine of any kind can improve health and help reduce stress. I recently interviewed Pilates Coach Rachel Scholten of Kneeling Cat Pilates about the benefits of stretching as it relates to overall health AND recovery after major health events which instilled the personal drive for me to incorporate regular stretching in my life.
It doesn’t have to be yoga, but some plan for stretching—and the important companion of breathing—can be deeply soothing and offer improved range of motion, optimal blood flow and safety from injury among other benefits, as detailed by Jessica Matthews over at ACE in her article, “10 Reasons You Should be Stretching.” Anecdotally, I have a 94-year-old friend who swears by daily stretching before he does anything else in his day.
8. Stretch your mind. Read an article, listen to a favorite podcast, watch a documentary or pick up a book on a topic you know little-to-nothing about, and absorb everything you can. Step away from your thoughts to learn and expand your knowledge. Get lost in learning and take a break from your feelings of the moment.
I’m so grateful for the Real Lives Book Club, for example, where we gather and discuss the books detailing the lives of people in biographies, autobiographies and memoir. I learn so much by reading and discussing the lives of others.
And for added measure, take a moment to journal about something that gave you pause. Why does the air smell different in the fall? Where did the custom for saying “excuse me” after a burp begin? Or what is something you wished you had learned to do earlier? These are all the types of questions which could be fodder for your journal. In pondering you will open yourself to knowledge and new possibilities.
However you define feelings versus emotions, the universal take-away is that we are triggered into moods which are never a permanent state of mind. It is all vapor open to the winds of change. But sometimes, getting from the mood of the moment requires taking action, even a small one, to move forward. The list of ideas could expand here, and you probably have your own go-to actions for stepping away from a mental slump. Please feel free to share your favorites.
So long as you have options, and one of them is the feelings and how to change them, you have hope and possibility. If you like to keep motivation at hand check out our tshirt about options below.
Alexandra and Sherry, 2016
Sherry is the founder of Storied Gifts a personal publishing service of family and company histories. She and her team help clients curate and craft their stories into books. When not writing or interviewing, Sherry spends loads of time with her grandchildren and lives in Des Moines, Iowa.
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