12 Positive Steps to Take When Stressed and Depressed

Many strategies, such as meditation, yoga, guided-imagery, progressive relaxation, bio-feedback, and even regular napping, are available to manage stress, which in turn, can help to make you less susceptible to life’s ups and downs. Which technique you choose doesn’t matter, it is only important that you stay committed and practice the exercises you find to be helpful.

Confiding in a trusted friend or family member about difficult feelings or thoughts can often improve your mood.

Being accountable to a group can be a motivator to change your environment and get social support – which can ultimately be uplifting.

Take time to write down your emotions, the act of which is a very safe outlet to release negative thoughts that may be building up inside.

Spending time in nature, prayer, meditation, or a religious setting, are all forms of spiritual practice. How you define spirituality does not really matter; the important thing is that you feel connected with something greater than yourself. When firmly grounded in a spiritual belief, one can come back to this centered place – especially during times of stress or sadness – and find great comfort.

What is the one thing in your life that makes you want to get up in the morning and keep going even when your body wants to rollover and go back to sleep? What images can you think of that make you smile? This can be a loved one, a job, a hobby, or even a higher purpose. Your bliss can be a great motivator when you need an incentive to care for yourself.

Volunteering is a great way to improve self-esteem and combat feelings of worthlessness. Frequently volunteers report feeling physically, emotionally, and intellectually recharged after doing something for others.

Do something that makes you feel good (and causes no harm). Ideas include getting a massage, renting your favorite DVD, spending time at the park, enjoying a delicious meal, and reading a great book, just to name a few.

Although a pet can be hard work initially, owning a pet can help to take one’s attention away from his or her despair. Pets provide unconditional love that is so desperately needed during depressive episodes.

By consciously taking the time to shift the focus from all that is going wrong, to all that is going right in your life, you can create moments of pleasure.

Laughing provides therapeutic value – even consciously smiling can help you to feel better.