Top ways to take care of yourself during tough times

journalling tips and advice write things down

It is fair to say that the last 24 months have been tough and there have been very few people left unaffected by the global pandemic that has swept across the world. But despite world events, circumstances within your personal life can always be challenging, as let’s face it, life is always ready to throw us a curveball. 

Often, you may be feeling down due to circumstances in your life such as a break-up, job loss, or the loss of a loved one. But sometimes you may just feel down for no reason at all and that’s ok! Either way, you don’t have to justify how you are feeling to anyone, you just have to allow yourself to feel this way and work through it as best you can (and if that means curling up on the sofa watching Netflix all day, that’s okay too).

Here we will talk you through a few ways to take care of yourself during tough times. While some of these self-care ideas may seem pretty obvious, on days that you can feel your worst, these essential habits may even help you feel more equipped to weather the storm. 

Reach out to others 

how to be kind respond with kindness

When you are feeling down and going through a tough time, you may just want to be alone. But isolating yourself is one of the worst things you can do as this is likely to just make you feel worse. Everyone likes a bit of alone time but it is important that you stay connected to those around you. 

Dealing with tough times in your life isn’t easy, but it is a lot more manageable if you have people you love around you to help you through. So whether it means popping round to a friend’s house or video calling with a family member in the evening, stay connected and reach out! 

Practice self-care 

deliver kindness thoughtful delivery ideas

Most of us may be familiar with the term self-care having seen lots of aesthetically pleasing images on our instagram feeds, but in reality, self-care refers to any kind of activity that involves taking the time to look after yourself. Popular, self-care ideas include doing your skincare routine or having a long soak in the bath, but it can also mean saying no to something to protect your mental space or cooking yourself a balanced meal. 

Journal, journal, journal 

gratitude for life gratitude diary

When you are going through a tough time, you may feel like you have a lot of thoughts stuck in your head and it can be hard to know what to do with these jumbled up thoughts. A great way to work through them and get them out is to start journaling. 

This gives you the total freedom to write down anything that feels right at the time, and you don’t have to share it with anyone. By setting aside a few minutes of every day, you can express how you are feeling in a safe place. 

Get enough sleep 

During difficult times it becomes harder to get a good night’s sleep, which in turn makes you feel more anxious, stressed, and irritated during the day. While stress can disrupt your sleep, it is crucial that you try to get plenty of rest as this will help you feel more equipped to deal with the difficulties you are facing. 

So whether that means reducing your caffeine intake (you might need to wave goodbye to a few cups of coffee a day), or limiting how much screen time you have before bed, you will be able to give your mind and body the rest it needs. 

Remember it won’t last forever

One way of coping with difficult times is reminding yourself that things won’t always be the same. Think about what’s in your control right now rather than fixating on everything that’s going wrong. What small things can you do just to get through each hour, day and week? Start with really small tasks to help you to get your mojo back, and you’ll hopefully start to feel just a little bit better.

If you are dealing with tough times and are keen to find ways to take care of yourself, then the above tips should help you navigate this time in your life. But remember, life is tough, but so are you. You can do this! 

Article written by Ellie Jones. 

 

 

 

Share:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *