It’s easy to take the power of self care for granted, especially when we are going through a lot. We often allow ourselves to believe that the best thing we can do with our time is to focus all our attention and energy on everything that we are facing or going through.
I am no stranger to this feeling. I have always assumed that self care was nothing but a waste of time. Especially when we are already going through so much and there are still so many things we can better spend our time on. But I was completely wrong to think that.
It wasn’t until I found myself at my lowest that I realized just how crucial self care is, especially when everything around us feels too heavy. When you’re facing back-to-back problems, you might think that your time is better spent fixing those problems and ignoring what you’re mind and body are telling you.
But the truth is, as cliche as it may sound, you truly cannot pour from an empty cup. You can’t expect yourself to keep showing up for your problems, for your loved ones, or even for yourself if you’re constantly running on fumes. You can’t be at your best when you’re drained and exhausted. I’ve learned the hard way that constantly pushing through doesn’t always make you stronger.
It just makes us burn out faster causing us to break down. The truth is when everything around us feels so heavy and overwhelming, those little moments that we spend on self care can act as our lifelines. It can help fuel us to keep going even when we are having a rough day. It can help give us the strength that we need to keep pushing on days when nothing seems to be going right.
We have to constantly remind ourselves that the time we spend on self care is never a waste of time. It is something that we have to do to survive. To continue showing up at our best for our responsibilities and relationships.
In this blog post, I will be sharing with you some self care ideas that you can try when you’re going through a bad day. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times these activities have helped me find peace or made me feel grounded when my mind was racing or when I was feeling completely overwhelmed.
It’s important to remember that these activities are not about fixing everything all at once. It’s about giving ourselves a safe space to pause and just breathe.
Self Care Ideas For Bad Days
1. Take A Nap
This is probably one of my favorite self care whenever I’m going through so much in life. I know that some people frown upon this activity, especially when we are so used to being on the go or when we have so many things on our plate.
We think that taking a nap might be one of the worst things that we can do. But let me tell you, often it’s actually just what we need. Allowing ourselves to rest is not a crime. Slowing down when everyone around us is going a hundred miles per hour is not a weakness.
I used to believe that being productive added more to my worth and value as a person. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I felt so guilty every time I wasn’t doing something. I thought that allowing myself to rest when there was so much more that needed to be done made me lazy and incompetent. Like I was somehow falling behind while everyone else is just moving forward.
But I learned that resting and simply allowing ourselves to nap is actually not doing nothing. Rest is doing something. Rest is allowing ourselves to recharge, and heal and giving our mind and body a chance to catch up.
So please, don’t feel guilty for taking that nap. Take that nap. You deserve it. If taking a nap is all that you did today, know that it’s more than enough. Remind yourself that often it’s actually one of the most productive and best things that we can do for ourselves.
2. Practice Deep Breathing
Have you ever found yourself so consumed with your thoughts that everything around you seems to blur? Like your mind is being pulled into a hundred different scenarios and suddenly everything just feels too overwhelming and suffocating.
I can’t even begin to tell you the number of times I’ve found myself in this situation and my only lifeline was practicing deep breathing. Deep breathing may sound too simple but the impact that it has in helping clear our minds and ground us in the present moment is so huge.
Taking deep breaths allows us to press pause on all our racing thoughts. It acts as an anchor that brings us back to the present moment. When we are having a rough day and when everything feels like it’s spinning out of control, taking deep breaths can be the first step in helping us regain control.
Try this: find a quiet place and close your eyes. You can do this sitting down or standing up, whichever you prefer. Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of four. Hold that breath for a moment. Then exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of four.
Do this a few times. Let each breath be a reminder that you have the power within you to find calm and peace amidst the chaos. With every deep breath that you take and release, you may find the strength, courage, and peace that you need.
3. Write A Gratitude List
I used to take the power of gratitude for granted. Honestly, for years, I have always assumed that practicing daily gratitude was nothing but toxic positivity. I mean, sure it’s easy to be grateful when everything in our lives is going right.
But when we are having a tough day and we are facing back-to-back problems, finding something to be grateful for during that time just seems impossible and honestly, I thought that it would be useless. It wasn’t really until I hit rock bottom that I realized just how important practicing gratitude is, especially on days when everything is going wrong.
You see when I was going through a difficult time, I thought that the best thing to do was focus all my attention and energy on my problems and struggles. I thought that doing this would somehow push me to work harder and to try harder. But what it did was the exact opposite.
It didn’t motivate me, for what it’s worth, it just made everything even more overwhelming to the point that it’s actually paralyzing. It did not only make me so bitter and angry all the time but it also made me feel so defeated and hopeless. This made me realize just how crucial it is to practice daily gratitude.
We have to remind ourselves that doing this doesn’t mean that we are ignoring our problems or minimizing the pain that we are feeling. It simply means that we are choosing to find even the smallest glimmer of hope that’ll help fuel our strength to keep going.
By practicing daily gratitude, we are allowing ourselves to look past our problems and acknowledge that good still exists in our lives, no matter how small it may seem. Doing this does not only help lift our spirits but it can also help fuel our hope to keep going even on the most difficult days.
So try this, write down at least three things that you are grateful for today. Know that it doesn’t have to be big or life-changing. It can be as simple as good weather or even a warm cup of coffee. Remind yourself that often the smallest things can have the biggest impact.
4. Journal Out Your Thoughts
Journaling out your thoughts can be a powerful tool in helping us create a safe space to unload everything that has been swirling around our minds.
When we are going through a rough day, often, everything may feel too messy, too tangled, and overwhelming but putting our thoughts into words can help us untangle the mess. It can help us take a step back from everything that is going on in our lives, process what we are feeling, and even see things from a different perspective.
The important thing to remember is that there is no right or wrong way to do this. What you’re writing doesn’t have to have a structure. Write freely and from the heart. Write everything that you are thinking, and remind yourself that this is a judgment-free zone. Know that what you’re writing doesn’t have to make sense to anyone else. This is for you and you alone.
So be messy, be honest. Know that your journal is not going to judge you, this is a perfectly safe space for you to vent whatever it is that you are feeling. I can’t even begin to tell you the number of times this has helped me on days when life feels too much. I hope that it will do the same for you.
5. Watch A Comfort Movie
When I was at the lowest point of my life, watching my favorite series was a way for me to decompress and just breathe for a moment.
Honestly, it actually gave me something familiar to hold onto when everything around me just feels too uncertain. It became like an escape (even just temporarily) from this giant weight that I was carrying. It made me feel even just for a moment, that life is good and that moment became the fuel that pushed me to keep going and to try again.
I know that when you are facing so many problems, you might think that taking a break to watch your favorite comfort movie is nothing but a waste of time. But please let me tell you, it’s not.
It’s actually just what we need to lift our spirits, calm our minds, and gain the strength that we need to try again tomorrow. Yes, it may not solve our problems, but it does give us a space to feel safe. A space where we are allowed to let go of all the pressure, expectations, and heaviness that we have been carrying.
And often that is just what we need to help us get through one more day.
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- 15 Powerful Things To Do When Life Gets Hard
6. Say No
Do you ever find yourself constantly overextending? How many times have you said yes to something you really didn’t want to do in the first place because you were so afraid of disappointing other people?
I’m certainly no stranger to this feeling. I have always been guilty of having a hard time saying no to other people, especially the people closest to me. You see growing up, I was made to believe that my worth was tied to two things. First would be my achievements, and second would be based on how useful I was to other people.
I took this belief with me as I grew older and it didn’t really matter how exhausted or stressed I was, I still felt compelled to say yes to other people’s requests. Believing that saying no would greatly impact my worth and value.
Doing this just made my difficult days even more difficult and overwhelming. I mean, I was already going through so much. I was facing back-to-back problems and yet I still took on more than I could realistically manage, all because I was so scared of disappointing other people.
I didn’t want to seem selfish but in constantly trying to be everything for everyone else, I just ended up abandoning myself and adding more to my problems. This made my days even more difficult and too heavy to bear. If you’re guilty of doing this too, please know that your worth is never based on how useful you are to other people.
Saying no will never diminish your value. You are worthy and enough just as you are now. Know that just like everybody else you also have your own needs and limitations that you have to acknowledge. Doing this doesn’t mean that you are being unreliable or selfish. It just means you’re honoring yourself the same way that you have been honoring other people.
When you’re already going through so much, overcommitting yourself will only make things more overwhelming for you. Please remember that you are allowed to say no without the feeling of guilt. Human as you are, you also have needs that you deserve to prioritize. Know that the people who truly love and care for you will understand and support that.
7. Step Outside
These past few months have been rough for me and my mental health. I’ve been facing a lot of challenges and often one of the things that helps me clear my mind and just disconnect from everything even for a little while is allowing myself the time to just step outside and breathe.
I have been doing this for weeks now. Every time I feel like my heart is getting too heavy and my mind too cluttered, I give myself a chance to step back by taking a short walk. You don’t have to spend too much time on this activity.
Even just a short walk around the block will do. Use this moment to disconnect from everything that you are carrying and just allow yourself to breathe. Focus your attention on your feet touching the ground or the air hitting yourself. Let this be your reminder that despite what you’re going through, you are still allowed to slow down and just breathe.
You don’t have to have everything figured out all at once. You don’t have to be constantly on all the time. Know that this small act of stepping away and taking a short walk, even just for a few minutes can greatly help us find the calm amidst the chaos and the noise.
And often, it’s in these little quiet moments that we remember we’re still human, still healing and we are certainly allowed to take a break.
8. Let Yourself Feel
Vulnerability is never my strong suit. I have always had a hard time allowing myself to feel my emotions or showing other people the parts of me that are confused, hurting, and unhappy.
My go-to has always been to run away from my emotions. It didn’t really matter what I was going through or how painful the pain that I was feeling, I still ran away from them. For quite some time, I honestly thought that this was the best thing to do. I thought that if I just kept all my emotions bottled up then eventually they would all go away.
When I was navigating the lowest point of my life, I was facing back-to-back problems. I was struggling financially while still grasping the fact of losing someone that I love. During this time, I thought that the best thing to do would be to focus all my energy and attention on solving all my problems. Breaking down was not an option.
I thought that it would only slow me down and during this time, I really didn’t have the time to fall apart. So I pushed everything down and I told myself that I’ll just deal with them later. I convinced myself that being strong meant staying numb.
But what I didn’t realize then was that bottling up all my emotions doesn’t make them go away. It just buries itself deeper, waiting for a moment to resurface and when it does, it hits even harder. Making it so much more difficult for me to face.
This made me realize just how crucial it is to allow ourselves a safe space to let ourselves feel all our emotions. Doing this is not a waste of time. It will not slow us down or keep us from solving our problems. Now, I honestly believe that it’s one of the greatest things that we can do for ourselves.
By letting ourselves feel, we are not only giving ourselves the chance to release all the heavy burden that we have been carrying but we are also finally giving ourselves a chance to truly heal and move forward. Letting ourselves feel doesn’t mean that we are weak. It’s actually the opposite.
It takes a whole lot of strength and courage to face all our emotions instead of running away from them. We have to keep reminding ourselves that allowing ourselves to cry and vent out may not solve all our problems but it does make things lighter and so much more easier to bear.
And often, that’s just what we need to keep going.
9. Repeat Calming Affirmations
Repeating calming affirmations when everything around us is too chaotic and noisy, can be a small yet powerful tool in helping ground us. When we are being hit with back-to-back problems, repeating phrases like, I can do this, this too shall pass can create a sense of inner stability when everything around us just feels out of control.
Here are a few phrases that have helped me get through my difficult days:
I am doing the best that I can and that’s more than enough.
I have overcome difficult things before and I can certainly do it again.
It’s okay to rest. It’s okay to slow down. I deserve it.
I don’t have to figure everything out all at once.
I let go of the things that are out of my control and I focus all my energy on the things that I can.
10. Remind Yourself That This Is Just Temporary
When we are going through a difficult time, I know it may feel like the problems and the pain are just never-ending. It’s so easy to start feeling so defeated and hopeless believing that our lives will only ever go from bad to worse and that regardless of what we do, we will never be able to turn our situation around.
I felt this more than a dozen times before. I can tell you with complete certainty that things will get better. Know that the only constant thing in this world is change. Everything is just temporary. Your pain is just temporary. The problems are just temporary.
Please remind yourself that you have within you this invaluable strength and resilience that’ll help you surpass whatever life throws at you. Trust in what you can do and always remember that what you are going through now is not going to be your forever.
Soon, the season will change. You will find light, peace, and happiness again. Keep holding on and keep going.
Final Thoughts
I know that some of these steps might seem small but often, even the smallest acts can have the greatest impact in helping us get through the day. Know that these are just some of the self care ideas that you can do on tough days, there are so many more ways to show up for yourself with care and gentleness.
The important thing is to find what truly resonates with you. What truly calms your mind and soothes your soul. Know that whatever it may be, it doesn’t have to be grand or life changing. It just needs to feel right for you.
Whatever is it that you are going through right now, I hope you know that you are not alone. I hope you remind yourself of all the times you have encountered this before and how you managed to make it through, even if it felt impossible. That strength is still in you. You can do this and always remember that I’m rooting for you!
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