What to Do When Feeling Low and Depressed

We all experience some low moments at some point of our life. It may not be rock bottom, but you were feeling pretty low due to some event in your life. Low moments are inevitable, but you can find ways to make the best of your low moments.

See the most effective ways to improve your mood by listening to a 15 minute book summary of Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman.

Why you could be feeling low and depressed

Joblessness

When you are jobless or in between jobs and you don’t feel so sure about where you’re headed. This comes with some anxiety, stress, and uncertainties especially revolving around your finances.

Joblessness can also cause you to experience low self-worth. On the brighter side, it gives you some time to your hand. If you had saved enough to keep you going for a while, you can use the time you have to focus on something else.

A relationship break up/ divorce/ separation

Our relationships play a very important part in our lives. When they go wrong, our emotions are highly affected and we feel very low. As opposed to when you can pick up a bad habit when a relationship goes sour, you can pick up a good habit, which is even better. A breakup gives you some more time in your hands.

Low business seasons – for business owners

If you are self-employed, sometimes business is really low and it comes with a lot of uncertainties. One feels low and is thinking of other ways to make the business work

Loss

This could be in the loss of a loved one, family member, a miscarriage, a friend, or something you held close to your heart. Loss causes heartbreaks, which can make us go through some very dark moments in our lives.

Lack of motivation

You know those mornings you wake up and don’t want to get out of bed? It happens to most of us. You know you have things to do but your body, heart, and mind are just not up for it. This period lasts from a day to even months.

Depression

For whatever reason in your life, depression can happen. Sometimes we are depressed even when we are not aware we are. Other times the events in our lives really affect us and our will especially when we have not developed resilience.

Illness and recovery

A long time of illness leaves someone feeling weak and sensitive. Depending on the kind of illness, the recovery period varies, and sometimes it takes months.

What to do when feeling low and depressed

Give yourself a makeover

It happens that most times there are some parts of our lives we’d like to improve. It could be losing weight, fitness, looks, etc. During your low moment, take some time to improve something that will make you emerge from the low moment feeling better.

Start working out, either at home or at a gym. (Working out at home is one of my favorite things to do. It saves the cost of going to the gym, having an instructor yell at you, working out at my own convenience, and teaches me self-discipline).

Consider jogging, running, or participating in fitness activities. Get that body you’ve always desired and maintain it. Get a makeover in other areas of your life. For example, get a treatment you’ve always wanted to such as skin treatment to make you glow, develop and adopt a skincare regimen, eat healthily and stick to it, hair care regiments, improve your home (a new coat of paint, wallpaper, plant a few flowers, clean all corners).

Reconnect

Work can make us disconnect from social life. It happens that we work most of the time and have little time to connect with our loved ones, friends, and relatives. A low moment, such as joblessness comes with some spare time. Pay your parents a visit and stay with them for a while.

Seek out old friends and relatives that you’d like to have in your life but barely get time to do so. Spend more time with your spouse making up for the lost time. Reconnect with yourself too; remind yourself who you were before you got too busy and everything started moving too fast.

Adopt a new hobby or revive old ones

Do you have a hobby that you no longer have time for? This is the right time to pick it back if it makes you cheer up. It could be baking, cooking, playing a sport, traveling, etc. If not, pick up a new hobby. I have a friend who underwent depression and became an avid reader, yet he was not much of a reader before.

Allow yourself to be bored

If you are used to being active, it is very difficult to allow yourself to get bored. You always try to find some activity to fill in your day. This is something I struggle with too.

I don’t know how to sit back and allow myself to get bored. Yet it is during these boring times that your mind wanders, and creativity comes in. I am learning to do this and it is making me evaluate myself and come up with new ideas.

Declutter

Get rid of things in your life and home that you don’t use. In your wardrobe, I’m sure there are a lot of clothing items that you no longer need. Take them out and donate them to those in need. Declutter your home too, throw away those wine bottles, broken furniture, and any physical excess baggage. Decluttering makes you feel light and gain some clarity in your life.