How to Feel Better on Blue Days. {Blogmas Day- 8.}

 Hello Loves. 

Today was a blue day, a day when, for no real reason I just feel off and sad and alll up in my feelings. 

It's OK. Shitty days happen and we find ways to deal with them. I think everyone has their own recipe for handling a day like this, little ways to snap out of it or at the very least manage your feels so you can navigate the day. 

Over the years, I have learnt a few things I do to feel better. 

Here are some of my tried and tested methods that work for me. 

I hope this helps. 

WAYS TO FEEL BETTER: 

1. Take a deep breath and identify what you are feeling and maybe why you are feeling this way. Sometimes there are external things that make us feel off. Did something happen? Can you do something about it? Or is it just an unexplained bout of sadness. Allow yourself to feel it. Feel sad. Feel blue. Hiding from it or ignoring it won't do you any good. So you might as well let it come over and get comfortable. 

I usually tell myself, "OK I am sad today. This sucks. But here we are. Cool. Let's figure this shit out." 

Then I move on to things I can do to cheer myself up. 

2. Take a nap. 

If you can...crawl back into bed. Just do it. Put your phone away and try to sleep. 

I did that today and it made a world of difference. 

3. Listen to music. Find tunes that you love, the older the better, songs from a time in your life when you were abashedly happy. Or if sad songs are your jam..do ahead indulge. 

Today I listened to Ranjish Hi Sahi on a loop. Both the original version and Ali Sethi's rendition. 

So find music that speaks to you and just let it wash over you. 

4. Read. I find reading takes me away from my life to the life of someone else. And that is the kind of escape that always works for me. Today I read Independence by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and really enjoyed it. (Review coming soon.)

Books and Sunshine. 

5. Talk to someone you love and someone who gets you. Talk about things that you love talking about, films, books, people...it doesn't necessarily have to be your state of mind that you talk about, because some days you really just don't want to talk about what's going on in your mind. 

Or..

Talk about what's on your mind. Talk about your feelings. Talk it out. 

Find someone who cares and talk. 

6. Journal. 

Put pen to paper. 

Find a way to put your thoughts down on paper. Let it out. It doesn't have to be the best piece of writing, it doesn't even have to make sense. It just has to get out of your system. 

I cannot tell you how much better I feel once I have word dumped in my journal. 

If you don't journal or have never tried it, I cannot recommend it enough. 

Just pick up a notebook and start. 

It's honestly the cheapest form of therapy. 

7. If going outside helps you, do that. Go on a walk. 

Personally, I am a hunker down and get cozy kind of girl, especially on days I don't feel great. But I know for some folks just stepping out of the house helps. So do what works for you. 

8. Watch a film you love. Re-watch an old favourite. The kind that makes you laugh, comforts you or if you are like me and enjoy horror...watch something that scares you out of your mind. I find horror really helps me and takes me out of mind and keeps me in the moment. 

9. Eat something good. 

No rules apply on a blue day. 

Eat cake. 

Get waffles. 

Have ice-cream. 

Paani puri. 

Waffles.

Eat what makes your heart happy. 

If cooking and baking makes you happy, how about you do that? 

Or order in. Do what works for you. 

10. Now this is not good advice..at least fiscally..but here it is: Treat Yo'self. 

Buy something. 

What? Retail therapy works! It does. Trust me I am a psychologist. It's not the best...for your bank balance but it's gooooooood for the soul. So get yourself something you love. Small or big. You deserve it. Get it. Life is hard and you are allowed to do things that make you feel better. Without any guilt, just go get yourself a little treat. 

:)

I recently got these lovely totes from The Rekhta Store with words from Faiz and uffff I love them so much. 

Man, Faiz gets it. He just does. 

Sad days are the worst. But they are an inevitable part of life. 

Zindagi hai toh dukh hai, so it's nice to have a few things to help you feel better. 

I also occasionally love to cook, bake and colour and clean and do something with my hands to take my mind off my feelings. 

I think growing up means finding new ways to manage your moods and self-soothe. 

I hope this little list helps. 

I hope if you are sad today...you find a way to make yourself a little less blue. 

Much love 

xoxo