I know we all love to hear stories about winning and overcoming and we love to hear stories about breakthroughs….you know, the good stuff. Sometimes, it’s good to know how to get through the bad stuff…the tough times. So I thought I’d share with you how I handle when I feel down. This is just my personal story and the way I handle things- my own approach to life. It might not necessarily be for everybody, but I hope something I share will help you!
1. SMILE: First of all, I am a very determined person and even when I get down, I REFUSE TO STAY THERE. Someone asked me the other day, “Are you really like that all the time?” Another person said, ‘You probably smile all the time because you have to because of your job.” Ha!!! Well, the answer really
is ‘Yes and No’. My smile is my resolve. It’s what I end with. I call it a SMILE OF STEEL. I won’t let anyone break it or shake it. To me, it’s real. No, I don’t always feel like smiling. No, I don’t always feel like being nice. No, I don’t always want to cheer everyone up. But here’s what I’ve learned. Smiling changes your mood. Even when I feel like I’m so angry I’m going to bust, I JUST SMILE. Sometimes, when I’m around the house and my mindset is just a little off, I do a FORCED SMILE for like 20 seconds!!! YES!!! I really do. TRY IT! It’s almost impossible to stay in a bad mood when you smile. I know that seems simple, but the truth is rarely complicated.
2. HELP SOMEONE ELSE. One thing that immediately changes my mood is when I help someone else. A lot of times, when we feel down, it’s because we’re super focused on our own life. I believe if you are there for other people, other people will be there for you. I find that when I help someone else, it refreshes my own soul. It makes me feel good on the inside. Sometimes, when you’re in a bad mood, it’s a matter of focus. FIND SOMEONE WHO IS IN A WORSE OFF SITUATION THAN YOU AND HELP THEM. You will immediately feel better. You immediately also realize that your problem is only temporary.
3. ENCOURAGE YOURSELF & MAKE IT A HABIT. I know, I know it sounds so cliché, but you really do have to speak positive words. You’ve GOTTA say good things to yourself. Tell yourself, ‘I can get through this’. ‘I’m going to be ok’. ‘Someone is going to help me.’ ‘Something great is going to happen’. Yes, we are a product of our own thoughts and words. Talk to yourself. Imagine that inside of you is a deep well. That well is filled with words, either good or bad. And you live off of those words. You live off of what’s inside of you. Sometimes, my mood changes when I start focusing on negative things people say. I remember one time I took a trip to meet a producer that I thought could help me with my music. I decided on my own that I didn’t want to work with this person and I told someone about the situation. That person told me, ‘You’re too old and you know you’re not going to make it in the industry.’ They were so malicious in what they said and followed up with a few horrible emails. Well, let me say, that was the last time I talked to that person. They showed their true colors. The truth is I HAD TO ENCOURAGE MY SELF. I told myself, ‘I am successful.’ ‘I am a winner.’ ‘I refuse to lose.’ Here’s the thing, even when it’s hard for me to believe the words that are coming out of my mouth, I say them so that I can hear them, so that I can encourage myself.
4. LIVE IN THE MOMENT. I’m not negating the importance of planning, however, it is important to LIVE IN and EMBRACE the moment. Learn how to embrace where you are and learn how to enjoy yourself in the moment. I’m not even talking about 10 minutes from now. I’m not even talking about 5 minutes from now. I’m talking about right now. RIGHT NOW, there’s a beauty in the moment you’re in. Are you realizing it? Are you realizing all the great opportunities hidden within your failures and discouragement? Are you alive to the season that you’re in right now in your life? Be alive to the moment.
We’re all so scatter brained because we’re living in the NOW worried about the FUTURE. The truth is, we really don’t know what tomorrow holds. We plan. We strategize. We calculate. That’s all well and good, but THIS MOMENT is the connector. It’s the perpetuating factor that determines it all. What you do NOW and how you feel NOW is producing your very next moment.
5. GET UP AND MOVE! Honey, sometimes, when I’m feeling down, I just GET ON UP and DANCE. Let’s not make things complicated. Get up and get moving! Put your favorite song on my friend! Put on some Beyonce or Gaga or U2 or put on some Elvis! Put some MUSIC on and get moving. There’s something about music and something about moving your body that seems to cut through emotions. I know it sounds simple, but try it! Works for me :)
These are just a few simple things you can do. The bottom line is that feeling down is often a result of anxiety, discontentment, fear and more. If you can change your perspective, you can change your life!
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Labels: inspiration, living, personal development
