3274: How to Feel Better When You’re Depressed by Shirley of Daring Living on Self Compassion

[00:00:00] This is Optimal Living Daily episode 3274, How to Feel Better When Youre Depressed by Shirley of DaringLiving.com and I'm Justin Malik, reading to you from articles, book excerpts, and more. And don't forget we have a bunch of other shows where we do this, covering different topics though.

[00:00:18] Just search for Optimal Living Daily wherever you're hearing this to find the other podcasts. And now let's get right to another post and start optimizing your life. How to Feel Better When Youre Depressed by Shirley of DaringLiving.com

[00:00:37] This is a post dedicated to the lost and depressed souls. We all have our down and depressed times from time to time, and that's okay. When you are sad, uninspired, or feel drained, always remember to not self-criticize even more. It is such a vulnerable time.

[00:00:55] It should be a time well-rested, cherished, and for you to reflect on yourself. Here are some tips that worked for me during my down times that made me feel a lot better. Number one, let it all out. Whatever it is you're feeling, anger, pain, sadness, loneliness, anxiety,

[00:01:14] let them all out but in healthy forms. My favorite way to let out my emotions is to write them down. It helps me to just let my thoughts flow and scribble down everything that I'm feeling in that moment.

[00:01:27] I even keep a notebook where I scribble down all of these thoughts. But it doesn't have to be in written form. You can start a private blog, record your thoughts, or type them out on your phone if you want,

[00:01:38] as long as there is a way for you to let out your emotions. Sometimes I even write my thoughts down on a piece of paper and then rip them to pieces and throw them into the garbage afterward.

[00:01:48] It's a good way for me to release and to clear my mind. Go ahead and be creative with whatever works the best with you. Also, I cannot stress how important it is to just cry. Sometimes we get so numb that the best way to be better

[00:02:04] is to be honest with ourselves and actually feel what we're feeling. Let yourself take a break from your friends, families, and work's expectations of you. Go home, pour yourself a glass of wine, and be vulnerable and cry. It's okay. Number 2. Spend time with yourself.

[00:02:23] I know it sounds odd. If you're feeling sad and depressed, why spend time by yourself even more? But honestly, I admit that I love to be at social events, but after spending time with so many different people, I always feel drained after a while.

[00:02:38] I realized what I really needed was to have time for myself. Pick one day out of your busy schedule as your me day. No one can disturb you, and you do not need to accommodate anyone on that day. Turn off the internet. Set your phone to silent.

[00:02:54] It is your day, and you are allowed to be selfish however you want. Choose a passion hobby that you enjoy doing or that you've always wanted to try. Pick something that can be done just by yourself. Is it photography, hiking, cooking a new dish, learning yoga?

[00:03:11] Dive into it and focus your mind fully on it for a good chunk of the day with breaks in between if you want. You will feel tired afterwards, but also feel like you've accomplished something meaningful that belongs entirely to you.

[00:03:24] Afterward, with a clear and refreshed mind, then you should really think about what it is that makes you unhappy. When do you feel like this? What habits are you doing every day that make you feel this way?

[00:03:36] Who are you spending time with? What is constantly on your mind? What have you always wished you would have done? Really dive deep into these thoughts. Write them down if you have to, and develop action plans that can change these feelings. Number three, keep learning.

[00:03:53] Read a good book, watch a documentary, listen to a podcast. Do things that keep you inspired and always want to become better versions of yourself. Learn from your emotions and transform them into opportunities for you to grow.

[00:04:08] When you are striving to become better versions of yourself, naturally you would feel better internally. Number four, exercise. Get your body on it. Your mind will follow wherever your body leads.

[00:04:21] Find an exercise that suits you, whether it is going for a fitness class, hitting the gym to do a few weights, or go outside and jog. Get your body worked up and your mind refreshed. A good rush in the blood will always brighten up your mood.

[00:04:36] And number five, say goodbye to social media. I used to be guilty for being on Instagram 24-7. I wanted to share about my day, let other people see how I've been doing.

[00:04:47] I wanted to know what everyone else is doing with their lives. It was my form of connecting with the world. But do we really need to connect with everyone? Are you sharing your day to satisfy yourself or to gain approval from other people?

[00:05:02] There's way too much noise on social media. Sometimes you can get easily caught up with negative energy. Think about how you feel after you've been on it for some time. Are you starting to compare yourself with others?

[00:05:14] Do you feel sad about your life or feel jealous because someone else's life seems so much glamorous than yours? Reserve yourself from being on there too much. Block Facebook, uninstall Instagram if you have to.

[00:05:27] Do whatever it takes to gain back control of your life instead of your constant need to share something and become a slave to others' opinions. You are not defined by how many likes or views you get.

[00:05:39] It takes time. As someone who loves digital marketing and operates three social media accounts for work on a daily basis, I'm still learning too. There are many other things I do on a daily basis to keep myself motivated and positive.

[00:05:53] These are just some crucial ones that have worked for me. But ultimately, what's really important is to take time to understand yourself. Try things out and see what methods work best for you. Take those methods and incorporate them into your daily routine.

[00:06:09] Develop good daily habits and in the long run, you will feel better overall. You just listened to the post titled, How To Feel Better When You're Depressed by Shirley of daringliving.com And I'll be right back with my commentary. Thank you to Shirley.

[00:06:31] I think these are good tips. If you're diagnosed as clinically depressed, you would likely benefit from professional advice, which I always recommend, but generally, I think these are good things to try. And some of these might come easy to you, others might be more difficult.

[00:06:48] That actually might shed light on what you could use more of. So, for example, I'm not really the type to let it all out. I think anyone who knows me sees my mood as very stable, not extreme and pretty much calm all the time.

[00:07:04] But that doesn't necessarily mean I'm calm on the inside. Again, letting it all out isn't really something I do. But it could be a sign of my weakness and something I could use more of.

[00:07:16] Now, that doesn't mean I need to explode in a fit of rage, but maybe write out whatever is going on in my head and rip it up. I've actually done that before, and I've pretty much always found it to be a helpful exercise.

[00:07:29] Maybe that would work for you. Or maybe there's something else in her list that feels difficult, and I'd encourage you to think about why that is. Because maybe there's a way you could explore that further and find benefit.

[00:07:43] Again, if you can with a professional, that's something I'd recommend. And if there's something else that works for you, do let me know. I always appreciate hearing your take. But that should do it for today and this weekend.

[00:07:54] Thank you for being here every day, and I'll see you tomorrow for Minimalist Monday, where your optimal life awaits.