Having a miserable day or feeling sad every now and then is part of life. Such days may happen consecutively for a time, but feeling "down" constantly each day can begin to weigh on your emotional, social, mental, and physical well-being. Depression is an illness that can affect anyone. Overcoming the "blues" takes time and in some cases needs professional help. In such cases the BYU-Idaho Counseling Center is available for student use. Visit their website BYU-Idaho Counseling Center for symptoms, how to help a friend, and intervention tools. Other local and national resources can be found here.
It's never too late to start making positive changes, so how about starting today! Below are some coping skills that can help you get a head start on "beating the blues."
1. Plan out your day. List your responsibilities for the day and include 30 minutes doing something you enjoy. Its healthy to take a few minutes out to meditate and relax.
2. Get a good nights rest. View our post on Improving Your Sleep Habits for suggestions.
3. Take out the negative. Replace each negative thought with 5 positive thoughts. With time it will become easier to recognize the good things.
4. Get active. Go on a leisurely walk, take your lunch to the park, or participate in a fitness class. Whatever you choose wither simple or more complex, each accomplish the task of being active.
5. Give yourself a chance. It takes time and real effort to make desired changes in your life. You will have good and bad moments; don't let the bad moments cancel out your successes.
*For more coping skills visit our previous post How to Maintain a Healthy Body and Mind.
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