Adult-ing can be hard. Whether it’s boy troubles or your annual existential crisis, sometimes life comes out swinging. Here are five simple ways to pull yourself out of the darkness and back into the sunshine . . . from someone who has copped a few blows.
5 ways to cheer yourself up when you’re feeling sad
Make a swag-tunes playlist
Listening to great music is the quickest way to go from bawling to ballin’. Load some kick-arse tunes onto your phone and you’ve got an instant, portable pep-up. I have a go-to playlist that I switch on whenever I feel an attack of the sads coming on. It’s a collection of songs that inject me with some much-needed swagger when I’m dragging my feet. If it’s a nice day and I’ve got time to kill, I’ll strap on my sunnies, plug in my earphones and take myself out for coffee and a walk in the sun. Looking for some inspiration? You can steal my Spotify playlist here.
Book in for repairs and maintenance
When you could scrape your self-esteem off the bottom of your last disappointing date’s shoe, it’s time to treat yo’self to a little pampering. You don’t need to spend a ton of cash; choose something small that you wouldn’t usually do for yourself. I’m talking a quick brow wax and lash tint, a manicure, or a 20-minute massage on a random Tuesday arvo, just because. My favourite is a pedicure/spray tan combo . . . because everyone knows a tan automatically sheds 3kg. Don’t wait for an occasion such as a date to put in the effort – do it for yourself.
Get off social media
Like, right now. Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest – go cold turkey. There’s no better way to feel sad about your life than looking into the ‘perfect’ lives of others. Here’s the thing: none of it’s real. No-one posts about their groundhog days, fights with family or being ghosted by that Tinder random who wasn’t good enough them anyway. Would you?
Instead, read a book. Remember them? Even cooler – get a hobby. There was a time in my life where I could have written on my résumé, ‘Cassie’s hobbies and interests are Netflix’. Don’t be that person. There’s a big, wide world out there with squillions of experiences to be had. Do all the things.
Phone a friend
Call a girlfriend who makes you laugh and with whom you can swap war stories and neuroses with total, unashamed, no-holds-barred, slightly cray honesty. It’s such a fantastic way to get a quick reminder that a) we all kinda suck at life and b) most things just aren’t worth taking so seriously. When you hang up the phone, go hunting for the perfect inappropriate GIF that you know will make her laugh and perfectly sums up your collective life #fails.
Ride the wave
Know that it’s okay to feel like sh*t sometimes. Don’t try to shove your emotions away or feel guilty about your “first-world problems”. Hey guess what? You live in the first world – and your feelings are valid. Whenever I’m feeling sad I remind myself that this too shall pass. Sometimes you just have to ride the wave – but remember that you always pull through. However, if you feel like the cloud isn’t lifting, definitely chat with a professional. There’s absolutely no shame in getting help. Sometimes we just need an expert armed with specialised weaponry to help us slay our demons.
