What to Do When Life Gets You Down: 10 Tips for Coping with Stress

Last Updated on May 10, 2022

Life can be tricky. We all know that. We all know what it feels like when life gets us down. We can feel overwhelmed, stressed, and depressed. Sometimes it feels like everything is going against us, and we just can’t catch a break.

When find ourselves in negative circumstances, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, wonder why me, and feel like giving up. And you wonder what to do when life gets you down.

How can you regain that positive outlook that has seemingly left you? The difficult times can create a lot of negative thinking, worry about the future, cause our self esteem to tank, and more.

But don’t give up, my friend! There are always ways to cope with stress and depression when life gets you down.

Why is Life So hard Sometimes?

There can be many reasons why life feels hard at times. It could be a particularly tough situation we’re dealing with, like the loss of a job, the ending of a relationship, or a health issue.

It could also be that we’re feeling generally down and blue for no specific reason. This is often referred to as clinical depression, and it can be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain.

Regardless of the cause, when we’re feeling down it’s tough to see any silver linings. Everything seems dark and bleak.

But despite how hard life may seem at times, it’s important to remember that we can get through these difficult times. And while it may be tough, we can find ways to stay positive when life gets us down.

What to Do When Life Gets You Down

1 | Spend Time with Friends and Family

Being around people you care about will help lift your spirits and make you feel better. You may find that spending time with friends or family is enough to take your mind off whatever’s bothering you.

Family is there to support us when we’re down, so don’t be afraid of reaching out. They want what’s best for you because they love you unconditionally — even if it means having those tough conversations where no one wins (but everyone learns).

Friends are also a great support system. They’re there to listen, laugh with you, and just generally provide a shoulder to cry on. Spend time with your friends doing things you enjoy. It’ll help take your mind off things and make you feel better overall.

2 | Talk to Someone

Don’t bottle up your feelings. When we’re feeling down, it can be tempting to bottle up our feelings and not share them with anyone. We may feel like we don’t want to burden our friends or family members with our problems.

But bottling up our feelings can actually make us feel worse. It can lead to increased stress and anxiety, and it can cause us to feel isolated.

It’s important to find someone we can trust to talk to about our feelings. This could be a friend, family member, therapist, or counselor. Talking about our feelings can help us to process them and may make us feel better. 

Talk to a friend, family member, therapist, or anyone else you feel comfortable talking to. Talking about your feelings can help you process them and make them seem less overwhelming.

A therapist can help you work through your feelings and come up with strategies for coping the next time life gets you down. They can also prescribe medications if needed.

Or you can vent to a friend or family member about what’s bugging you and why it’s bothering you so much. Sometimes all we need is someone to listen without judging or offering advice. If you don’t have anyone to talk to, try writing in a journal or talking things out with yourself. Whatever works for you is the way to go!

3 | Get Active

Exercising helps improve your mood and can help relieve stress. It’s also a great way to distract yourself from negative thoughts by focusing on something else (such as your workout).

If you’re not into exercising, try going for a walk or doing some other kind of physical activity. You could also try taking up a hobby that gets you moving, like dancing, gardening, or playing with pets.

Exercising will also help your body release endorphins, which are hormones that make you feel good. Physical activity will also improve your mood and help you cope with stress.

4 | Get Some Rest

Sleep is important for our physical health as well as mental health. When we don’t get enough sleep, it can affect how we feel emotionally and mentally, leading to depression or other issues such as low energy levels or difficulty concentrating on tasks at hand.

It’s recommended that adults get at least seven hours of sleep each night to keep their bodies functioning properly and their minds sharp. If you’re struggling with depression or stress, consider seeing a doctor about your sleeping habits so they can help diagnose any problems related to poor quality rest (such as insomnia) and offer treatment options that may work for you.

5 | Eat Right

When feeling overwhelmed or stressed out, it’s easy to reach for unhealthy foods like fast food, processed snacks, or sugary drinks. But these foods will only make you feel worse in the long run. Try to stick to a balanced diet of healthy foods with a treat now and again, so you don’t end up feeling worse than you already do.

Eating the right foods can help improve your mood, give you energy and make it easier to focus on what’s important in life instead of obsessing over things that aren’t working out well right now.

Some good foods for your mood include leafy greens, salmon, nuts and seeds, avocado, and dark chocolate. You should also make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day as dehydration can lead to feeling tired and down.

6 | Do Something Fun

Doing something you enjoy can help lift your mood and distract you from negative thoughts. Try watching a movie, listening to music, or playing an instrument. You could also do arts and crafts like drawing or painting with watercolors (or even just coloring in a coloring book). If you’re into sports, try playing a game or going for a run.

The main idea is to do something that makes you happy and gets your mind off negative thoughts. When you feel good, a hormone called dopamine is released into your body which helps improve mood and reduce stress levels.

7 | Get Organized

When we’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed, getting organized can be a great way to help calm us down. Why is this effective? Well, when our lives feel chaotic and out of control, it only makes us feel worse. But when we can get a grip on what’s going on and see things more clearly, it can make everything seem a bit more manageable.

There are plenty of strategies for getting organized, so find one that works for you and start implementing it. Some people like to make lists while others prefer to use calendars or planners. There are even apps and websites that can help you get organized.

If getting organized seems overwhelming, start by tackling one task at a time. Once you’ve finished that task, move on to the next one until your entire list is done. You can also

Organize your home or office. Start by organizing one small space, like your desk or your closet. Once you’ve mastered that, move on to bigger spaces.

8 | Try Meditating

Meditation can help improve mood, lower stress levels, and promote feelings of calm and well-being. It’s a great way to take a break from the chaos of everyday life and focus on yourself for a while.

Meditation helps us focus on the present moment and let go of any negative thoughts we may be having. It’s a great way to practice self-care and can be done almost anywhere (such as in bed before you go to sleep, on the bus or train during your commute, or in a park).

There are many different types of meditation, so find one that works for you and stick with it. You may need to try a few other methods before you find one that really helps you relax and de-stress.

9 | Have Faith

When we’re feeling down, it can be hard to have faith that things will get better. But it’s important to remember that this too shall pass. The world is full of ups and downs, and bad times don’t last forever.

Try to focus on the good things in your life, even when things are tough. When you start to feel down, think of all the things that make you happy. Write them down if you need to.

Think about the people you love, the things you’re grateful for, and your accomplishments. When you have a bad day, read through your list to help remind yourself that things will get better.

If you are a person of faith, remember to pray and ask the Lord to help you through this difficult time in your life. Read scripture, spend some time journaling about how you feel, and get your emotions down on paper.

10 | Be Kind to Yourself

It’s easy to get down on yourself when life puts you in difficult situations, but don’t do it! We can be our own worst enemy, harder on ourselves than anyone else. Can you relate?

So, be kind to yourself and treat yourself like a friend treats their bestie. If your best friend was feeling sad, what would you say to them? You’d probably tell them that everything will be okay, and it’ll all work out in the end.

Well, you’re your own best friend so treat yourself accordingly! Practice self-care daily by doing something nice for yourself every day (even if it’s just taking a bubble bath or eating some ice cream).

Try to avoid negative self-talk as much as possible, and instead focus on the positives in your life right now. If you’re not sure what those are, ask someone who knows you well, like family members or close friends. They’ll be able to tell you all about how great of a person you are because they care about what happens in your life just as much as anyone else does!

Stay Positive

It can be tough to stay positive when life throws everything at you, but it’s important to try. Staying positive will help keep you motivated and hopeful, which are essential for getting through tough times.

There are many different ways to stay positive, but the main idea is to focus on the good things in your life and maintain a hopeful outlook. You can do this by writing down three things you’re grateful for every day, keeping a journal of your thoughts and feelings, or simply reminding yourself that things will get better eventually.

And, spend time with positive people. There’s nothing better than surrounding yourself with people who see the good in life, who understand rough times and empathize, but also can provide the support to help you get your thinking going in the right direction.

Final Words: What to do When Life Gets You Down

Sometimes life can be challenging, and it feels like everything is going wrong. It’s okay to have bad days but don’t let them get you down for too long.

Just remember when life gets you down, you’re not alone. These things are temporary, and they’ll pass soon enough if you just stay positive and keep moving forward, one day at a time.

So, these are some tips for coping with stress and depression. Hopefully, they can help you out when things get tough. Remember to take care of yourself, be positive, and don’t forget to have fun once in a while, because you deserve it!

No matter what you’re going through, try to stay positive and don’t give up on yourself. You’re worth fighting for!