5 Things To Do When You’re Feeling Down in The Dumps

1. Phone A Friend

Quite literally, or at least drop them a text. Friends are some of the most magical people on this planet, they are real miracle workers and (unless they are the problem, in which case move on to 2.) when you are feeling down there is sometimes no better antidote than a good ol’ chinwag with a buddy. Even if they are far away and you can’t meet up with them for a cuppa and a debrief, don’t let that stop you. Get on that phone or send that meme you’ve been saving to your group chat. After all that’s what friends are for (being there for you, not solely to send memes of course!)

2. Plan A Trip

I was once told that going away on holiday or a day trip isn’t just about the actual time away, but the excitement and planning in the lead up to it. One of my favourite ways to break out of a slump is to book something for the future that I can put in my diary and get excited for! There’s nothing worse than an empty diary with no plans. Not sure what you want to book, why not browse museum and gallery websites for upcoming exhibitions to book. I’d highly recommend trying to get tickets for the upcoming Dior exhibition at the V&A. Or maybe try and think of a city or country you’ve always wanted to visit. Get planning, get excited and watch your mood lift.

“Friends are some of the most magical people on this planet, they are real miracle workers”

3. Get Out of The House

If funds or time aren’t on your side, then you can still get the value of taking yourself out of the house for a bit of fun. You don’t need to travel to the other side of the world to break out of slump, any change of scenery and bit of fresh air will make the world of difference. And it doesn’t need to cost the world. Why not take yourself out for a picnic in your local park or, if the weather isn’t so great, there are loads of free museums and galleries around. Another one of my favourite ways to spend my time is also just having a walk around a new town, a browse in the shops and to soak up the atmosphere of a place. There’s really nothing better.

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4. Give Yourself Some Attention

I know this might seem an obvious step, especially in the age of ‘self care’. However, even in these times giving yourself some t.l.c. is majorly overlooked as a way to get back on your feet. The key to the perfect self care is simple, just spend time doing things you love and things that make you feel good. And additionally try not to consume too much of anything – get some variety in there. For example, spending 5 hours on Instagram (even if it is something you enjoy) probably isn’t going to help you feel like your best self and similarly eating 10 bars of chocolate also probably won’t help. You see what I’m saying? Minimise your consumption of just one thing or activity, and instead do lots of little things that you enjoy. My perfect self care evening might involve a bar of chocolate, a short scroll on Instagram, a bath and then finding out my perfect film to watch whilst I eat my favourite meal. It’s the little things that really make a difference and it’s about time that we stopped overlooking them.

“In a time when we are encouraged to be on the go and ‘busy’ 24/7, just remember that it is ok to give yourself a break sometimes”

5. If All Else Fails, Embrace It

It isn’t normal or natural to feel 100% happy all the time (but great if you, by some miracle, do!) and as humans we are SUPPOSED to feel a rollercoaster of emotions, that’s just how we’re built. Sometimes you just need to have a glum day and on days like this sometimes the best thing to do is just embrace it. A bit like our previous pointer, grab yourself hot chocolate (or beverage of your choice), put your duvet on the sofa, get all the best snacks & just veg out. In a time when we are encouraged to be on the go and ‘busy’ 24/7, just remember that it’s ok to give yourself a break sometimes. Don’t beat yourself up, just sit back and enjoy – you will feel so much better for it.

Now, next time I’m having a bad day will someone please point me in the direction of this blog post so that I can actually take my own advice for once.

What are your favourite ways to feel better when you aren’t feeling like yourself?