5 ways to get yourself out of feeling low
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Feeling low - I specifically used this term instead of feeling bad or feeling depressed. Because there is a lack of clarity in this expression 'feeling low'. We don't actually feel bad when we feel low. WE feel bad when our car breaks, when we didn't slept well, when we had a bad date. There is some sort of reason why we feel bad. It's usually not as huge of a reason as when we feel depressed. Depressed is a worse than bad. It's like feeling chronically bad or feeling bad because of some major reason. It can have a clinical meaning as well.
SO what is feeling low? It's feeling bad or even depressed but without any particular reason. It come as a wave of energy and it's overwhelming. You can not understand how you were feeling good an hour ago and all of the sudden things changes. Your mood, your thoughts... They were white, now they are black.
Let me try to tell you how i deal with these moments - they happen to me quite a lot.
- Go and meditate - yes you knew that I would speak about this one. But I am telling you - this is how I get out of these moment. It can be any form of meditation - the pure meditation in its pure meaning, running, painting your nails, hoovering, iron your clothes - I'd say that any of these activities work good for me. In their essence, they require focus on a specific acton and shut the access to the part of the brain which are 'low'. If you think that you were low, don't worry it was not you, it was just an illusion.
- Don't suppress your mood with addictive activities or substances - 'not doing' something will be in this case a huge gateway to doing something which will make you choose to do beneficial things. Warren Buffet has a similar rule for making money: 'Rules number 1 of making money: Don't lose money. Rule number 2: Look rule number 1.' In case of dealing with emotions through substances, it is detrimental because it will bring your moods even lower and it will take willpower and time to deal with the consequences of such actions.
- Go to the nature and look into the sun - yes this is the action point. Just do it, you will see how quickly you will feel better.
Call someone you love and who will have some good news to share with you. I would not necessarily call those people who you normally share your emotions with (especially the bad ones - in my case this person is my mum, it can be your therapist or a psychic). Talk to someone whose story will lift you up. You need to get out of your energy / emotions without dwelling to much on the matter. Timing is crucial - you need to be fast to spend as little time as possible in low mood.
In case none of the above works, turn on YouTube and watch the movie 'Dogs don't want to bath' - it's hilarious, you will crack up. Your state will rise up instantly!