Everyone has those days where they wake up and everything feels like it's falling apart. Whether it’s a hard break-up, a bad day at work, or just a general feeling of crisis, we’ve all been there. Especially when you've been doing well sticking to your routines and goals, a down day can make us feel like everything is lost. Luckily, everyone feels down sometimes and there are a few things you can do to help yourself get back on track in no time.

1. Accept yourself where you are

Often guilt comes with an off day. Society pressures us to always look and feel our best. Every day we are inundated with social media posts of people living their best lives and looking happy all the time. It can make us feel like failures when we feel down. Learning to accept yourself as you are an important first step to working through our off days.

Understand that feeling down is a fact of life. People in movies and on social media feel the same way you do sometimes, they just choose not to show it. Accepting our own raw emotions is one of the realities of being alive.

2. Understand everything is part of your journey

Everybody goes through tough times. Whether it's facing rejection looking for a job or failing an important test, sometimes little things can feel like the end of the world. Life is full of natural ups and downs. Everything is a cycle that comes and goes. 

Everything we face in our lives is a part of our journey. The bad times are just as important to the grand scheme of our life as the good times. Embrace the times you feel down, you’re getting stronger, and it will only make the good times feel that much better.

3. Practice mindfulness

It’s easy to get stuck in our own heads. When we feel down, our little inner voices tend to chip in a tell us exactly why we should be feeling the way we do. Stress and anxiety about the future can also contribute to feeling down. Practicing mindfulness is a great way to put life in perspective. Starting a meditation routine is an easy way to work towards gaining mastery over your mind.

4. Start small

Somedays it's hard enough just to get out of bed. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to get a lot done on days when you’re feeling down. Maybe you just go for a walk around the block and enjoy the sun on your face. If that’s all you could muster today, that’s ok. Tomorrow maybe you’ll feel up for jogging. Keeping feelings of guilt at bay is important in helping yourself work through tough times. 

5. Reward yourself often

Give yourself rewards for each little try. Often times we are very hard on ourselves and don’t allow ourselves to feel worthy of the things we have. It's ok to give yourself a treat for a job well done. Even if all you could muster was a small effort today, let yourself celebrate it. Slowly you will be able to build motivation and take on bigger tasks.

6. Talk to someone

Sometimes the best thing we can do for ourselves when we are feeling down is to seek the support of someone else. Whether that be a mental health professional or a friend, sometimes having a shoulder to cry on makes all the difference. Don’t be afraid to let the people around you know how you feel. People are often not good at picking up on the emotions of others and may not even notice something is up unless you tell them. Anyone who truly cares about you will be happy to help you through your tough time, offer you advice, and be there for you.

7. Practice self-love

It’s important to take time every day to celebrate yourself, even on your off days. Take a few minutes every day to write down some positive affirmations. Look in the mirror and tell yourself everything good about you. Start a gratitude list to increase feelings of positivity and remind yourself of all you have when you are feeling down.

Hopefully, these tips help you through your next off day. Remember, it’s okay to reach out for help if you feel depressed especially if it has been going on for an extended period of time or if it's interfering with your ability to function daily.

What helps you through a rough day? Let us know in the comments below.