5 Things I do when everything is shit

My beautiful diary from Paperblanks (not sponsored).

Approx. 6 min. to read.

Sometimes we just wake up and everything feels like shit. You don’t want to do anything, you feel tired and sad. It happens to everyone sometimes. - And that’s okay! 

I learned some things through my bout with depression - let’s call them “tricks” for lack of a better word. They’re just a few things I can do by myself and for myself to start the process of feeling better. HOWEVER: These are not quick fixes! It takes time. But I think these are healthy ways to deal with that overshadowing feeling of lethargy, prevent that feeling turning into true depression and to help yourself feel better in a gentle, nurturing way.  

DISCLAIMER: I am not a psychologist, psychiatrist or other medical professional. I am simply someone who has been through depression, found things that worked for me and now i want to share them in the hopes of helping someone else. If you are feeling symptoms of depression (such as lethargy, tiredness, irritability, insomnia, etc.) please see a doctor.

I forgive myself

No one can feel great all the time. We live in a world where expectations of the individual are sky-high, society is running faster than ever, and social media is a highlight reel of everyone else’s lives. It is exhausting. I am a gentle soul. This world is not made for me. It is natural for me to be exhausted. I am not weak - I have been too strong for too long and I forgot to make and prioritize my own space. My little air pockets. 

I tell myself it is okay to feel this way, I clear my schedule as much as possible, and I spend my free time seeking out the things that bring peace to my soul.

I write in my diary/journal

My diary is my most important tool for my mental health. I can feel the negative consequences if I forget or neglect writing in it at least a couple of times a week but preferably every day. I splurged and bought a nice, expensive notebook for this purpose and it makes me notice it on the nightstand when I go to bed and it says “write in me” when I see how beautiful it is. This might just be a “book girl” thing, though. 

In my diary there are no rules, except that I always note the date, day and time of my entry. I can write anything in my diary. Silly ideas, how I’m feeling, if I have an inkling as to WHY I’m feeling a certain way - or if nothing comes to mind, I just write about events in my life. More often than not, I don’t have a plan when I start, I simply open my brain and let it flow through my hands.

I drink water and (try to) eat healthy food

This often happens a bit later in the day. When the two first things have started working, I notice my body feels like shit. It hasn’t had proper nourishment or hydration that day, and that will make it feel slow and heavy and just generally unpleasant. If I wasn’t aware of how my body and mind worked, I would likely take it as “I don’t feel good, so I’ll just eat junk food and go back to bed” or something. But I know that will set me back to square one, maybe even make me worse. This step can be really hard and it requires some willpower, which is why it’s not the first thing I do. I need to ease into it. 

I start with water. I just drink as much as I can and it often even makes me winded. Once the water flows down my throat I can feel how much I needed it. If drinking water is hard for you, juice can be a good alternative, just try to avoid artificial sugars and flavors. 

After that, it’s food time! Now I know I am unusual, but my go to food in this scenario is oat flakes with sugar, milk, raisins and almonds. It’s simple and high on fiber. I know a lot of people don’t understand why I like it so much, but I can feel my body thanking me when I’m done eating. Other alternatives might be high fiber bread, cheese and fruits.

I have a shower

This is really straightforward. I’ve gotten my mind to relax, I’ve processed what is happening to me and why I feel this way, I’ve hydrated and had some sturdy food. My body is feeling better and my mind is calmer. It’s time for a shower. 

A shower makes me feel reborn, clean and honestly more like a human again. When I wake up on days like this and am overwhelmed by everything, I almost don’t feel human. When I get to this point, and I’ve taken my sweet time with number 1-3, the shower is really when I know I’ll be okay. It feels natural to do my hair afterwards, maybe even a bit of makeup and definitely clean clothes. It’s so refreshing!

I go for a walk

It doesn’t have to be a long walk. In fact, sometimes it shouldn’t be. The important thing is to get out and have some fresh air and get the blood flowing. 10-20 minutes is plenty fine, especially if you can get a little elevation on your route. If the weather is shit bring an umbrella or a raincoat, or simply resolve to change your clothes once you get back home. The important thing is to get going.

This post was written on a day that started out really shitty. I woke up tired and kind of sad. I didn’t want to do anything. At first I didn’t know why, but as I laid in bed just trying to force myself to get up I started thinking about it. I realized that I really hadn’t written in my diary this week, I really hadn’t made breathing room for myself, I had had a lot of expectations of myself - and then it all made sense. So I went through these steps. One by one, only going to the next one when I felt ready. I was fortunate enough to have the help and encouragement of a good friend, but I’ve done it by myself before, so I know I can. But it is always nice to have support. I think it sped up the process today. 

I hope this little list can help someone else. Don’t forget:

You are worth taking care of and you deserve kindness.

Love, Rahna <3