Of course, this doesn’t mean you have to burn their belongings, throw their stuff into the street, or sell everything they gave you, but you should at least box these items up. Return anything that belongs to them if you want, or donate it to charity. The choice is yours.

Ways to Instantly Feel Better When You’re Down

Everyone goes through ups and downs in life. However, some know how to feel better more quickly, as they’ve found unique remedies to negative feelings. If you’re not one of those people and still struggle to get up when you’re feeling down, we have some suggestions to help.

It’s important to recognize and feel negative emotions when they arise, but it’s also imperative that you don’t stay there too long. Use some of the following tips and tricks to overcome negative self-talk and emotions and get back to feeling like the best version of yourself.

Acknowledge Your Feelings

While it’s only natural to want to feel better, you don’t want to stuff your feelings or deny they even exist. Part of the healing process is acknowledging how you feel and allowing yourself to grieve. This process is especially important if you were in the relationship for any length of time. Even if the relationship was fraught with issues, it can still feel like a part of you is missing.

It’s also important to allow yourself the time and the space to cry. Believe it or not, crying provides a release that actually will improve your mood and help you feel better in the long run.   The key is getting stuck in this stage of the healing process. As a result, you need to allow yourself a few days or maybe even a week to process what happened, but after that it’s time to gather yourself and focus on moving on.

This is not to say that a pang of sadness will not surprise you here and there, but crying for days and days can be counterproductive to the healing process. If you find that you can’t stop crying or that you are crying for no apparent reason, you should talk to your doctor or a counselor. Sometimes a traumatic breakup can trigger depression in some people or reignite a mental health issue.

The Cupboard Sheet

Inside the door of my breakfast cupboard I taped a list of activities that reliably make me feel better: journaling, meditation, cleaning something that’s been dirty for a long time, reaching out to a friend, reading a real book, and half a dozen others.

Some activities immediately improve your mood, but often at the expense of overall well-being. These are easy to start doing, and often hard to stop. Many of them involve screens, caloric intake, or both. They tend not to have long-term rewards.

Then there are activities that improve your well-being. They improve mood too, but often not right away. You never regret these activities. There’s a certain comfort to be found in doing them, or having done them, but they do take effort. These are the ones that go on the list.

Whenever I feel down, aimless, unproductive, or lost, I open the cupboard, pick the most appealing item on the list, and do ten or twenty minutes of it. Read on the front stoop. Send off a few “Hey what are you up to?” texts. Take a fifteen-minute jog around the neighborhood.

Every single time I do something from the list, I’m in a better place afterward. I might not feel amazing, but I do feel more capable, and that is a huge relief. My desire for diversion is also sated, and I no longer feel stuck. It always works.

Your Cupboard Sheet activities might be different from mine. Practicing piano, reading scripture, doing handstands against the wall, whatever your thing is. In making your list, you’re looking for activities with the golden trio of comfort, effort, and non-regrettability. Choose six to twelve items in total.

Ways to Feel Better About Your Body Instantly

Shutterstock

Between social media and magazine ads, it isn’t always easy to look at your body in a positive light. The good news is when you are feeling down about your appearance, you don’t need to wait months to start feeling good about yourself again: You can actually change your mindset right now.

Whether it’s through what you’re wearing, how you’re fueling yourself, or simply how you’re talking to your body, here are 30 quick fixes that will help you feel better about what you have. And for more ways to boost your self confidence, know the 15 Daily Habits That Are Killing Your Confidence.

When you drink enough fluids during the day, your outlook on everything is better—body image, included. Amp up your water intake with sweet fruit like raspberries, oranges, strawberries, lemon, or whatever else will make you want to keep gulping. Staying hydrated keeps your mood lifted, energy levels up, and helps get rid of bloat to make you feel great about yourself, inside and out. And for more ways to optimize your nutrient intake, start eating more of the 50 Foods That Will Make You Look Younger.

Don’t worry—you don’t need to run a marathon. Simply putting on your sneakers and going outside for a run, even if that’s just 10 to 15 minutes, will boost your endorphins and leave you feeling great about yourself. As tempting as it is to stay inside on the couch watching TV, the quick burst of exercise will instantly make you feel like a better version of yourself, says a study published in the journal Cerebral Cortex. And if you’re having difficulty getting off the couch, learn the 11 Ways Smart People Motivate Themselves to Go to the Gym.

Learn how to feel better about yourself for your well-being

At times, it can be hard to pick yourself up and be proud of who you are. But it’s important for you to commit to the process of building healthy self-esteem.

Like most things in life, self-confidence doesn’t come without practice. Be gentle with yourself, but remember that you have the power to change for the better. There are plenty of people out there to help you along the way.

BetterUp cares about your journey to self-confidence, and we’re here to help. Our qualified life coaches will help you set achievable goals and overcome obstacles. If you want to learn how to feel better about yourself, we can help.

References:

https://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/27-ways-instantly-feel-better.html
https://www.verywellmind.com/8-ways-to-feel-better-after-a-breakup-5089116
https://www.raptitude.com/2020/06/how-to-feel-better-when-you-dont-know-whats-wrong/
https://bestlifeonline.com/increase-body-image/
https://www.betterup.com/blog/how-to-feel-better-about-yourself