What To Do When You’Re Feeling Down
We all have peaks and valleys in our life. We all experience times when we feel great about ourselves, and then other times when we feel like nothing is going right. I'm not sure about you, but no matter how hard I try to stay positive, there are still plenty of times when my mind is consumed with negative thoughts and feelings. I'm not alone here, am I?
In my experience, there are a few keys to surviving the "I've got the blues" emotions. I think that the first and most important tip for handling these emotions is to force yourself to recognize that although you may be feeling down in this moment, that these are only temporary feelings and that they WILL pass. Remind yourself that you've been down before, but that every time you've been down, you've managed to get back up. Again, these feelings will pass! Another key in managing your down emotions is to understand and remember that you do have the ability to control your feelings and to turn them around any time that you want to. If you can remember these two things (recognize that your feelings are temporary and understand that you are in control), you are already well on your way to feeling better.
When you're feeling down, try using some of these tips to turn your spirits around and get yourself back on track:
• Be grateful for what you DO have-
We all have so many things in our lives that we can be grateful for regardless of where we are in our lives today. From the air that we breathe, to the health of our family, to the food on our table, there are so many things that we all have to be grateful for. If you truly take the time to recognize all of the blessings that you do have in your life, it will become nearly impossible to remain feeling down.
• Recognize your individual greatness-
Although you may not be thinking about these things at the moment, there are plenty of areas of your life that make you great! Force yourself to take the time to think about what these things are for you. Are you a great leader? Are you a great parent or friend? Are you an inspiration for others? It's important to remember that none of us are perfect human beings. We all have things that we excel at and we all have things that we struggle with. Your ability to recognize and focus on your individual greatness is an essential component in strengthening your emotional health.
• Find a fan-
When I'm feeling down and the positive self-talk isn't boosting me as quickly as I would like, I force myself to reach out and find somebody who is more than willing to help give me the lift that I need. One of things that I am most grateful for in my life is that I have several people that are able to fill the "fan" role for me. For starters, I have my wife. She is my biggest fan - always! All that I have to do is hint that I'm in an emotional valley and she'll be right there to lift me up. It works every time! Who do you have in your life that can fill the fan role for you? Maybe it's your spouse, or child, or a friend, or even your coach? Find that person, reach out to them and let them know you need a lift, and then accept their support. It works!
• Take action-
One of the most reliable tools that we can use to turn our emotions from sour to sweet is to simply get ourselves moving. Most likely, the cause of your blues has to do with something in your life that you can control. Determine what it is that is most driving you down and commit yourself to taking some kind immediate action to move you forward in that area. Action always creates motivation. Motivation creates more action.
These are just a few of the tools that I use to help pick me when I'm dragging in the dirt. What works for you? What tips and tricks do you use to turn your emotions around? Leave a comment below and help somebody else move forward in their life!
In my experience, there are a few keys to surviving the "I've got the blues" emotions. I think that the first and most important tip for handling these emotions is to force yourself to recognize that although you may be feeling down in this moment, that these are only temporary feelings and that they WILL pass. Remind yourself that you've been down before, but that every time you've been down, you've managed to get back up. Again, these feelings will pass! Another key in managing your down emotions is to understand and remember that you do have the ability to control your feelings and to turn them around any time that you want to. If you can remember these two things (recognize that your feelings are temporary and understand that you are in control), you are already well on your way to feeling better.
When you're feeling down, try using some of these tips to turn your spirits around and get yourself back on track:
• Be grateful for what you DO have-
We all have so many things in our lives that we can be grateful for regardless of where we are in our lives today. From the air that we breathe, to the health of our family, to the food on our table, there are so many things that we all have to be grateful for. If you truly take the time to recognize all of the blessings that you do have in your life, it will become nearly impossible to remain feeling down.
• Recognize your individual greatness-
Although you may not be thinking about these things at the moment, there are plenty of areas of your life that make you great! Force yourself to take the time to think about what these things are for you. Are you a great leader? Are you a great parent or friend? Are you an inspiration for others? It's important to remember that none of us are perfect human beings. We all have things that we excel at and we all have things that we struggle with. Your ability to recognize and focus on your individual greatness is an essential component in strengthening your emotional health.
• Find a fan-
When I'm feeling down and the positive self-talk isn't boosting me as quickly as I would like, I force myself to reach out and find somebody who is more than willing to help give me the lift that I need. One of things that I am most grateful for in my life is that I have several people that are able to fill the "fan" role for me. For starters, I have my wife. She is my biggest fan - always! All that I have to do is hint that I'm in an emotional valley and she'll be right there to lift me up. It works every time! Who do you have in your life that can fill the fan role for you? Maybe it's your spouse, or child, or a friend, or even your coach? Find that person, reach out to them and let them know you need a lift, and then accept their support. It works!
• Take action-
One of the most reliable tools that we can use to turn our emotions from sour to sweet is to simply get ourselves moving. Most likely, the cause of your blues has to do with something in your life that you can control. Determine what it is that is most driving you down and commit yourself to taking some kind immediate action to move you forward in that area. Action always creates motivation. Motivation creates more action.
These are just a few of the tools that I use to help pick me when I'm dragging in the dirt. What works for you? What tips and tricks do you use to turn your emotions around? Leave a comment below and help somebody else move forward in their life!
