How to Stop Being Sad

Learn how to stop ruminating., Learn to forgive., Manage your stress level., Seek the positive in life., Surround yourself with positive and happy people., Get regular exercise., Consider daily meditation., Treat yourself to a massage., Eat...

11 Steps 5 min read Advanced

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Learn how to stop ruminating.

    Ruminating is when you repeatedly think about a negative thought.

    You might replay a conversation or think about a bad memory to the point of obsession.Ruminating causes more negative thoughts and emotions to arise, so the more you do it, the worse you'll feel.

    Ruminating too much can eventually lead to depression.

    Try the following to stop ruminating:
    Work to solve the problems you're ruminating over.For example, if you can't stop thinking about how much you need a job, make a job search to-do list and start tackling the items one by one.

    Practice positive self-reflection.If you spend a lot of time thinking about your negative traits, interrupt your thoughts with self-praise.

    Tell yourself, "I did a great job on that project," or "I tried my best during that conversation."
  2. Step 2: Learn to forgive.

    Holding grudges and thinking about yourself in a negative light can exacerbate feelings of sadness.

    Being able to forgive and let go may allow you to begin to feel happy.The act of forgiveness will remove negative attitudes and create space for positive attitudes.

    It will also decrease stress, which can make feelings of sadness worse, and increase peace and calm in your life.Scientists are currently studying ways in which a person can learn forgiveness, but have suggested that therapy and accepting restitution or apologies can help a person forgive others., Stress can contribute significantly to sadness.

    Avoiding stressful situations whenever possible may help you begin to overcome feelings of sadness.Organizing your day and allowing time to relax will help you relieve and avoid unnecessary stressStep back from any stressful situation if you can.

    If you cannot, try taking a deep breath and not reacting immediately to avoid having your feelings and tension rise unnecessarily., Negative thoughts and attitudes can increase feelings of sadness and isolation.

    Seeking out the positive in yourself, others, and in situations may help you to overcome feelings of sadness.Even in the worst situations, there is usually some positive aspect.

    It might take some time to recognize, but being able to see the positive may help you avoid negativity that encourages sadness.

    One study showed that a positive attitude contributes to success more than anything else, including knowledge or skills., Supportive people can often put things in perspective and help you to feel less sad.

    Participate in activities with positive individuals or groups as often as you are able., Regular activity is an important part of staying mentally and physically healthy because it increases the levels of serotonin in your brain.

    Try and get some form of exercise every day to stop feeling sad.Even small amount of exercise is good and can help you feel better.

    For example, a ten minute walk can relax you and give you a chance to embrace what is happy in your life.Exercise produces endorphins that can improve your mood and help you sleep., Meditation is a powerful way to improve focus and relax.

    Allot a few minutes of every day to meditate, which may help you feel less sad.Meditation forces you to unplug from the world.

    Having this unplugged time can teach you to concentrate and relax, and may help you feel happier.Start with 5-10 minutes of meditation daily and gradually increase your time as you become more proficient at meditating.Find a quiet and comfortable place where you’ll be uninterrupted.

    By eliminating any distractions, it is easier to focus on your breath and let go of any sad thoughts or sensations that arise.Sit upright and still and close your eyes.

    Proper posture is a vital part of meditation.

    It allows your breath and blood to flow, which helps your brain learn to focus on one point.

    Closing your eyes will help keep distractions at bay.Breathe easily and evenly.

    Don’t control your breath; rather, let it come and go.

    An excellent technique to help your concentration is to focus solely on your breath by saying “let” on the inhale and “go” on the exhale., Sadness and associated tension cause physical changes in your body.

    A massage can remove tension and stimulate the production of oxytocin, a hormone that encourages social connections.

    A professional massage or even one at home may be able to help improve your mood and make you feel better overall.There are many types of massage available, but any type of touch may benefit you.You can locate a qualified massage therapists either online or through a doctor’s recommendation.If you can’t get to a professional massage therapist, try self-massage.

    Rubbing your face or even just massaging your ears can make you feel better and relax you., Bad nutrition can make sadness or depression worse.

    Eating healthy foods will not only help your overall well-being, but may combat sadness and stress.Foods like asparagus, which has the mood-enhancing nutrient folic acid, can help alleviate stress.Foods high in Vitamin B, such as avocados, also help relieve stress, which may help you feel less sad.A glass of warm milk can help insomnia and anxiety, which can exacerbate feelings of sadness., It’s advisable to avoid all alcohol and recreational drugs.

    Using these substances may momentarily make you feel better, but in the long run, they can make you feel worse and make depression harder to treat., Every person needs sleep in order to maintain physical and mental health.Make it a priority to get 7-9 hours of sleep every night to help relieve your feelings of sadness.Increased stress and depression are negative consequences of insufficient sleep.Short naps of 20-30 minutes may also help you feel better.However, be aware that protracted naps or sleeping can be a sign of serious depression.
  3. Step 3: Manage your stress level.

  4. Step 4: Seek the positive in life.

  5. Step 5: Surround yourself with positive and happy people.

  6. Step 6: Get regular exercise.

  7. Step 7: Consider daily meditation.

  8. Step 8: Treat yourself to a massage.

  9. Step 9: Eat properly.

  10. Step 10: Avoid alcoholic beverages and drugs.

  11. Step 11: Get enough sleep.

Detailed Guide

Ruminating is when you repeatedly think about a negative thought.

You might replay a conversation or think about a bad memory to the point of obsession.Ruminating causes more negative thoughts and emotions to arise, so the more you do it, the worse you'll feel.

Ruminating too much can eventually lead to depression.

Try the following to stop ruminating:
Work to solve the problems you're ruminating over.For example, if you can't stop thinking about how much you need a job, make a job search to-do list and start tackling the items one by one.

Practice positive self-reflection.If you spend a lot of time thinking about your negative traits, interrupt your thoughts with self-praise.

Tell yourself, "I did a great job on that project," or "I tried my best during that conversation."

Holding grudges and thinking about yourself in a negative light can exacerbate feelings of sadness.

Being able to forgive and let go may allow you to begin to feel happy.The act of forgiveness will remove negative attitudes and create space for positive attitudes.

It will also decrease stress, which can make feelings of sadness worse, and increase peace and calm in your life.Scientists are currently studying ways in which a person can learn forgiveness, but have suggested that therapy and accepting restitution or apologies can help a person forgive others., Stress can contribute significantly to sadness.

Avoiding stressful situations whenever possible may help you begin to overcome feelings of sadness.Organizing your day and allowing time to relax will help you relieve and avoid unnecessary stressStep back from any stressful situation if you can.

If you cannot, try taking a deep breath and not reacting immediately to avoid having your feelings and tension rise unnecessarily., Negative thoughts and attitudes can increase feelings of sadness and isolation.

Seeking out the positive in yourself, others, and in situations may help you to overcome feelings of sadness.Even in the worst situations, there is usually some positive aspect.

It might take some time to recognize, but being able to see the positive may help you avoid negativity that encourages sadness.

One study showed that a positive attitude contributes to success more than anything else, including knowledge or skills., Supportive people can often put things in perspective and help you to feel less sad.

Participate in activities with positive individuals or groups as often as you are able., Regular activity is an important part of staying mentally and physically healthy because it increases the levels of serotonin in your brain.

Try and get some form of exercise every day to stop feeling sad.Even small amount of exercise is good and can help you feel better.

For example, a ten minute walk can relax you and give you a chance to embrace what is happy in your life.Exercise produces endorphins that can improve your mood and help you sleep., Meditation is a powerful way to improve focus and relax.

Allot a few minutes of every day to meditate, which may help you feel less sad.Meditation forces you to unplug from the world.

Having this unplugged time can teach you to concentrate and relax, and may help you feel happier.Start with 5-10 minutes of meditation daily and gradually increase your time as you become more proficient at meditating.Find a quiet and comfortable place where you’ll be uninterrupted.

By eliminating any distractions, it is easier to focus on your breath and let go of any sad thoughts or sensations that arise.Sit upright and still and close your eyes.

Proper posture is a vital part of meditation.

It allows your breath and blood to flow, which helps your brain learn to focus on one point.

Closing your eyes will help keep distractions at bay.Breathe easily and evenly.

Don’t control your breath; rather, let it come and go.

An excellent technique to help your concentration is to focus solely on your breath by saying “let” on the inhale and “go” on the exhale., Sadness and associated tension cause physical changes in your body.

A massage can remove tension and stimulate the production of oxytocin, a hormone that encourages social connections.

A professional massage or even one at home may be able to help improve your mood and make you feel better overall.There are many types of massage available, but any type of touch may benefit you.You can locate a qualified massage therapists either online or through a doctor’s recommendation.If you can’t get to a professional massage therapist, try self-massage.

Rubbing your face or even just massaging your ears can make you feel better and relax you., Bad nutrition can make sadness or depression worse.

Eating healthy foods will not only help your overall well-being, but may combat sadness and stress.Foods like asparagus, which has the mood-enhancing nutrient folic acid, can help alleviate stress.Foods high in Vitamin B, such as avocados, also help relieve stress, which may help you feel less sad.A glass of warm milk can help insomnia and anxiety, which can exacerbate feelings of sadness., It’s advisable to avoid all alcohol and recreational drugs.

Using these substances may momentarily make you feel better, but in the long run, they can make you feel worse and make depression harder to treat., Every person needs sleep in order to maintain physical and mental health.Make it a priority to get 7-9 hours of sleep every night to help relieve your feelings of sadness.Increased stress and depression are negative consequences of insufficient sleep.Short naps of 20-30 minutes may also help you feel better.However, be aware that protracted naps or sleeping can be a sign of serious depression.

About the Author

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Tyler Rodriguez

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