It's not your fault that you always feel sad. Whether it's because you are going through a tough time in life or if nothing is making you happy, sadness is your default mood. You keep asking questions like, “how to stop feeling sad?” or “why do I feel sad most of the time?” Though it can be hard to live with, there are ways to put an end to this cycle and give yourself the motivation and inspiration needed for happiness. Let's talk about things you can do to change this condition:
1. Start a journal
Perhaps one of the most common ways to deal with sadness is writing in a journal. Though you might start feeling better after writing in your journal for an hour, these feelings eventually begin to fade. If you want to see long-term effects, there's no better way to encourage yourself than by writing it down. The act of coming up with ideas and strengthening your coping skills will make you much happier than simply sitting around and wallowing in self pity.
2. Seek help
If you aren't sure what kind of help you need, talk to a mental health professional about what would be the best treatment for you. Have the courage and strength to show that there's more good in your life than bad. There's no shame in asking for help or dealing with these problems on your own. You're still strong despite feeling sadness. You need a little bit of assistance to get you there.
3. Surround yourself with people who make you happy
Though your friends might not be able to make you the happiest person on earth, they are more likely to bring out the best in you when they support you and cheer you up when things go wrong. In some cases, this is all that is needed to lower your mood and allow yourself to start feeling better again. Moving on from sadness might be just around the corner, so don't give up yet! Remember to be patient and continue working hard at putting positivity into your life.
4. Try not to compare yourself to other people
This is a very common notion and you might be familiar with it already. When you are constantly comparing yourself (counciously or sub-counciously) to other people, it's easy to feel down about yourself and not enjoy the time that you have left in life. This is especially true for those who have the tendency of remaining lonely when spending too much time with friends that make them happy. It's best that you keep your friends around and make sure things don't get too busy for your personal well being.
5. Learn how to love yourself
It's hard to be happy when you feel like nobody understands what it means to be sad at times. You might even begin feeling like the people around you are insensitive or just plain jealous of your enjoyment of life. This happens because you might have a hard time finding good things to share about yourself and it's hard to feel happy when others get all the credit for doing their best. Get better at talking about yourself and showing that you are awesome by being more confident in yourself.
6. Drink more water
Being dehydrated can lead to feelings of fatigue, tiredness and even sadness. It's important to keep up with your water intake to avoid these feelings and be able to enjoy good health. You also need water for your brain and organs to function properly, so make sure you're getting enough water every day.
Also Read: Expressive Art Therapies in Mental Health
7. Exercise/ Walk
Just like how people feel happier when they exercise on a regular basis, the same thing goes for you. The release of endorphins in your bloodstream will encourage more positivity and give you a chance to be more active in life. Not only is this healthier than staying indoors all day in bed, but it also helps boost your feeling of self-worth by proving that you can accomplish things if you focus on them enough.
8. Organise your thoughts
Sometimes you might feel sad because your mind is more chaotic than usual. When this happens, a great way to deal with them is to organise your thoughts so that you can keep a clear head about the stuff going on in life. A mess of thoughts can lead to feelings such as irritation and sadness. Learn how to organise the thoughts you have so that your life will flow much better.
9. Learn how to say no
There's no point in saying yes all the time when it makes you feel down or exhausted. Learn how to respect yourself by learning how to decline something when it gets too much for you at times. This is about being able to respect yourself and others at the same time. Learn how to handle rejection in a mature fashion and understand that you are worthy of living your life in the way you want to. You can handle it!
10. Begin thinking positively
Oftentimes, it's that negative loop in our head that turns into sadness or self pity. It's just too easy to let these sad thoughts trap you as you see no good in the future or even things are constantly bad. Think about all the good things in your life, and compare it to how you were feeling before. You're going to feel better after a while, remember that!
11. Read something inspiring and motivational
Reading inspirational material can help you deal with feelings like sadness and depression because the act of reading inspires you into action. The more positive words that you read out loud will inspire you and give your brain a chance to reflect on a new perspective that can make everything seem bright again.
12. Reflect on the efforts you put in
A big part of feeling better is simply putting your best foot forward and trying harder. Even if you don't feel like doing anything, getting yourself out of bed and moving around is going to make you feel better in the long run. While it might not seem like much now, it's important that you work on getting through these feelings as soon as possible. Make sure things don't get worse because you gave up!
13. Set goals and achieve them
Sometimes, it's easy to let yourself down because you don't seem to be able to accomplish anything. Try not to set large and complex goals. In times of difficulty set small goals which are doable and most importantly are healthy for you. You might be able to accomplish things from the comfort of your own home if you have a clear goal in mind. Try not to make a perfect way to achieve this goal. Dont try to make everyone happy through this goal but only yourself. Remember that success is about breaking through barriers and that little steps will help you cross them one by one.
14. Understanding different kind of feelings is important
Sadness, hopelessness, despair, grief or sadness are just some of the feelings people can feel but there are many more types as well. Some people feel like they're losing their mind because they can't get rid of these feelings. Don't feel bad if you're feeling unhappy, just remind yourself that there's a reason behind this feeling. Try to find the root cause and avoid thinking that you're a weak person because it's just not true!
15. Get some sleep
Be honest with yourself and know when it's time to go to bed and when it's time to wake up again. If you don't get the right amount of sleep, your body will be tired and exhausted even if your brain is telling you otherwise. You'll know for sure when it's time for some good rest!
Takeaway
People experience sadness from time to time. It's important to remember that if you feel like this, you are not alone and that it's most likely a part of being human. Try to identify the feelings and try to let them go so that you can become more motivated in life and be able to wake up in the morning each day with a smile on your face.