Just like anyone else I have a ‘bad’ day, where I feel completely useless. When I start to overthink, I can be in a low mood for hours or even days. I am not getting anything done, because the overthinking gets really bad. Maybe you have the same problem. Overthinking can really be something that can destroy your day/week/month or even your year. But the good news is that there are ways to feel better. I have had a lot of those bad days. On those days I woke up and was already feeling overwhelmed by everything and at the end of the day I did not get anything done. But after years of experience, I know now what helps me and today I want to share the things I do to get in a better mood.
Maybe this will help you too. The steps are pretty simple and it doesn’t have to cost you any extra money. The best ways to make yourself feel better are free. Buying new clothes because you are feeling shitty is not going to make you feel better. Maybe for a minute or two, but that is it. If you are an overthinker like me, you might start to overthink the reason why you bought those things.
Things I do to get in a better mood
A to-do for the whole day
I am not sure if someone else is struggling with this, but the moment I have a few minutes to myself I start to overthink. I mean, I can drink a cup of tea and relax for a few minutes. But when I do nothing, I feel so shitty. I need something to do otherwise I get into this negative cycle of overthinking and getting nothing done. But I also don’t want to work all day long. I still want a healthy balance of life and work. I finally found a solution for this: I schedule what I do in my free time. This sounds ridiculous but really helps me. If I wasn’t doing this, I would overthink what I should do in my free time. Sometimes I just give myself a few options of the things I want to do, other times I just pick one activity I want to do in my free time.
Music
Music is the cure for a lot of things. I listen to music all the time and it makes me feel good. Right now, I am listening to the Guilty pleasure Spotify playlist and I love it. Music can change my whole mood. Put your headphones on or earpods in and just enjoy. Sometimes when I am cleaning or doing some other chores I just put on my headphone and listen to music while I am doing those things. It definitely makes it a lot more fun. Suddenly cleaning isn’t that bad anymore.
Exercising
When you move your body, your body will release feel-good hormones and that is exactly what you need when you are in a bad mood. You can go to the gym, or try a different sport you like. I don’t like to go to the gym, but I love to dance and walk. I know those two things can lift my mood. Find out what works for you, because everyone is different. Maybe you prefer a team sport.
Romantic movies & books
Romantic movies are amazing, they make you feel good and hopeful. Sometimes I just decide to pick a romantic movie on Netflix and just watch it. Watching a movie also helps me with my overthinking too unless the movie is really bad. But also reading has the same effect. I can put down my phone for hours and just read if the book is really good. Again, it stops the overthinking which already makes me feel better. Overthinking is useless and negative, so if you can stop that you’ve already won. But if the book is really good, it makes me feel even better.
Learn something new
Another thing that can make you feel better is learning something new. You need to focus fully 100% and there is no room to overthink. Plus, you are stepping out of your comfort zone, which can you give the feeling of being unstoppable and proud. Learn how to play an instrument, learn a new language on Duolingo (I am currently doing this) or try a new recipe. You can do anything!
Getting enough sleep
One of the most important things on this list is getting enough sleep every single night. I know myself and I know that watching Netflix late at night, is not going to help me to fall asleep fast. But I know when I read a book 1,5 hours before going to bed, I will fall asleep so fast. The moment I wake up, I feel so full of energy and it makes my whole a lot better. When I don’t get enough sleep, I feel down and I start to overthink faster. If you are not getting enough sleep each night, look at your evening routine and try to change it. I would recommend stopping using screens in the evening. The blue light from screens can destroy your night of sleep.
Photo by Omid Armin on Unsplash