We all have had that point in our life where things just felt like they keep falling apart, like it’s the worst phase of the life. It could be certain prolonged rough times just giving you a hard time and you have that ‘I should just give up’ moment. Now, there are two kinds of problems: the ones you can do something about, for example, not getting the dream job so you can just work harder and try next time; and somethings you just have to go through, like losing someone.
We have this ‘why me?’ feeling because we just want everything perfect about our life to be smooth and easy as we see in the case of our friends around. But we often forget how the grass is always greener on the other side. Just remember that you aren’t dancing on your own and everyone has their fair share of drama and challenges. If everyone’s life had been just the way they wanted, it would be called a monotonous existence. I agree that some people just look like they own the world and with little or no efforts, they are just born lucky, but stop comparing your life with theirs. There are equally less fortunate people too in this world who would love to be in your shoes instead.
The thing about being at your lowest is that all this rational thinking is replaced by anxiety and panic at the moment we face the situation. Also, in addition the Corona phase and the uncertainty in every aspect of our life doesn’t help much either. So, here’s a list of things that can actually help you get through your lowest times:
Cry your heart out: There’s nothing cowardly about crying. It rather has the opposite effect. There are so many health benefits of crying like helps the body get rid of the toxins, relieves stress, helps sleep better, lowers blood pressure and helps strengthen the immune system. So next time, don’t hold it back, have a good cry instead.
Have some chocolate: Chocolate is the happy go-to food for a lot of people. It increases the levels of serotonin and endorphin in the brain, and reduces the stress hormone cortisol, thus giving a feel-good feeling. Dark chocolate is the healthier version as it has more cocoa thus more antioxidants, flavonoids and less of cholesterol causing fats, in case you are health conscious. Since excess of everything is bad, moderation is the key here since it still has saturated fats and sugar but it sure is the sweetest remedy.
Adopt the Sleeping Beauty lifestyle: Sleeping is probably the best weapon against fighting stress. Sleeping lets you dream, forget about your worries, improve the body functions and prepare you for the challenges ahead. It is a way of giving the brain which is in overdrive trying to resolve the problem, a much-needed break. It also improves the problem-solving skills, along with giving the required emotional strength.
Talk to the person you can confide in: The person can be anyone- your family, friends, or someone who is a good listener. Take their analysis of the problem as well; it can give you a new perspective towards your problems. Talking and hugging the people who care about you can actually unburden you from the stress.
Indulge in your past time hobbies: Whether you love baking, painting, dancing or anything that makes you happy and gives a feeling of accomplishment. Creativity helps broaden your thinking horizon and you also feel much in control.
Travel to your bucket list places: If the problem isn’t going anywhere, might as well change your reality for a while. Travel, meet new people and make lots of new memories. It will help your mind rejuvenate and is a means of positive distraction. However, this point is not much valid in this pandemic, but try staying social as locking yourself in a room would do more harm than good.
Shopping Therapy: Rightly said in the words of Ariana Grande- ‘whoever said money can’t solve your problems, must not have enough money to solve them’. Money can for sure hide some of the problems and this is where stress shopping comes. It eases on the sadness part and gives you a feeling as if you have gained something and also a perfect way to distract your mind from overthinking. So, dress up, be the pretty version that you are and shop your heart out. It is good as long as you don’t get addicted to it forever, and stress shopping even actually helps bring down the blood pressure.
Netflix and comfort food chill: Can’t travel or go to shopping malls either this Corona season? Well then watch your favorite genre movie or TV show with some happy food. For me watching Brooklyn Nine Nine with some waffles does the trick. It has been observed that watching a re-run of your favorite show can help you restore your energy levels, giving you the strength for dealing with the problem later on; suffice to say that nostalgia helps.
Meditate and breathe: If you have faith in spirituality then try meditation and yoga.
Deep breathing brings down the heart rate and provides brain more oxygen to function more effectively. Only in the state of peace and calmness you can think about your next steps in dealing with the situation or any rough patch you are going through.
Exercise and relax: Channeling the feelings of anger, fear and nervousness towards exercising is shown to have a positive impact on our mood. Jogging, kickboxing, hitting the gym, swimming or whichever exercise you prefer, can help reduce tension and increase concentration and alertness, giving you time to strategize.
Realize you’re only a human
What’s important is not taking any impulse decision, calming yourself down and accepting the situation. The situations don’t last forever, it’s just pulling yourself through it that matters and not losing hope. In fact, you won’t even remember it a decade after. I think this proverb puts it all well in one line- "Just when the caterpillar thought the world was ending, he turned into a butterfly."
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