9 Self-Care Tips To Help You Through Whatever You’re Dealing With

Lately, I have been going through kind of a rough patch. Maybe you’re in the same boat, too. Whether it be an identity crisis after graduation, trouble dating, or you’re between jobs. It’s easy to feel sorry for ourselves in hard times, and sometimes we need a little reminder to take care of ourselves. Here are nine tips to get you out of whatever you’re going through.

1. Give yourself space to feel what you’re feeling. Acknowledge that your emotions are valid and you have every right to feel them. Maybe someone you like shot you down and you thought it was promising. Or you notice your friend has been leaving you hanging since she got a boyfriend; whatever the case may be, be honest about how you feel and try not to repress those feelings.

2. Disconnect. Take time to yourself and log off social media. The last thing you need is to compare yourself to other people who seem to be having an awesome time while you’re over here struggling.

3. Pinpoint the things that are making you feel drained. Is it your job? Is it a deadline hanging over your head? Is it that your ex got in a new relationship? All of the above? Name what’s causing you to feel low. When you identify the cause of what’s bothering you, you essentially take away its power. You’re also making the first step in changing the situation when you’ve identified the cause of the problem.

4. Get inspired. Maybe you’ve wanted to try herb gardening or you’ve been thinking about starting a podcast or learning French. What are you curious about? It’s beneficial to put your energy into something fun that will get your mind off of what’s bothering you.

5. Exercise. Moving your body releases endorphins and makes you feel better. Its been proven to help depression and boost self-esteem as well as it being good for your physical health. So find what you like doing, whether it be walking around our neighborhood for a half hour, or 50 minutes of Tabata, get out there and move!

6. Talk it out. Talking about it can help you express your feelings and gain insight about the situation. It can be to your therapist, family, or friends. But try not to make it all you talk about. Not because of what other people will think, but because ruminating over the same event over and over can make moving on harder to do.

7. Practice gratitude. Life is difficult right now, but sometimes we get so fixated on what’s going wrong, we forget about what goes right. Start each day naming five things your thankful for, and end each day doing the same. If five things seem like a lot, just do one (you’ll find more things as you go on). Bottom line is don’t ignore what’s good in your life. If we get caught up in the negativity, it will be much more difficult for us to heal.

8. Reach out. When you’re feeling sad or even a little depressed, call on your friends or family for support. We all need people to lean on when the going gets rough. Give yourself at least one night a week to hang out with your loved ones.

9. Seek help. If you feel like this period of your life is too overwhelming, look into finding professional help. As much as we like to believe we have control over our emotions, sometimes our circumstances are too much to shoulder and we need a professional to help us.

No matter how hard we try, sometimes we feel like we can’t win and that can lead to a lot of feelings of hurt, confusion, and low self-esteem. Just remember that no matter what you’re going through, it won’t last forever and these times of tribulations are an opportunity for growth. Hang in there, and know you’re not alone.