No matter where we’re at in our lives, our personal growth or spiritual journeys, we all go through periods of feeling not so great. Whether it’s dealing with a particular event or circumstance or just the regular ebb and flow of our emotions, we all go through stuff.

Before I get into the heart of this post, let me start by saying that if you’re feeling down or going through something it’s totally ok to be in that space. Sometimes it’s necessary to spend some time feeling a little (or a lot) crappy in order to release or heal a really deep issue or limiting belief. You have to feel it to heal it, right? That said, it’s just as important if not more important to make sure that you’re taking care of yourself during the down times.

Whenever I’m feeling down, there are a few basic practices I turn to in order to make sure I’m caring for myself the best that I can.

I check in with my self talk. This is so, so important. When we aren’t feeling great, we are most likely thinking (and identifying with) some pretty negative thoughts and ideas, and most of the time we’re not even aware of it. If we’re not careful we can add even more low level energy to the situation causing us to stay in a negative space much longer than we need to. That’s why it’s really important to check in with what we are saying to ourselves. For example, if the idea of “I can’t do anything right” or “I’ll never be good enough” is running on repeat in your mind, guess how you’re likely to be feeling?

If you notice that a lot of negative thoughts coming, it’s totally ok. Just try to witness them without attaching to them. I often find it helpful to journal when repeating negative thoughts come up for me. By getting my thoughts out on paper, it allows me to become more aware of the limiting beliefs I’m having so that I can begin to challenge and then change those beliefs.

I take an inventory of my self care. Implementing a regular self care routine is just good practice, but it is absolutely essential when you’re not feeling at your best. Think about it, if your best friend or your child or someone else you cared about were feeling down wouldn’t you recommend a little extra TLC to lift their spirits? Of course you would! It’s exactly the same idea when it comes to taking care of ourselves.

Whenever I notice myself feeling down, I always take inventory of my self care. Am I eating foods that make me feel good? Am I getting enough sleep or am I staying up too late and wearing myself thin? Once I’ve identified areas where I’ve been lacking in the self care department, I make it a priority to get back on track. Sometimes that looks like treating myself to a pedicure or finally scheduling that trip to the salon I’ve been putting off. (Side note: Ombre hair for life). Other times it may look like curling up in bed at 8:30 at night with a good book. By engaging in self care, you are reinforcing the idea to yourself on a soul level that you are valued and your needs matter. What could be more important than that?

I practice forgiveness. Lesson 121 from A Course in Miracles teaches, “Forgiveness is the key to happiness. Here is the answer to your search for peace.” Isn’t that just everything?

We tend to think of forgiveness as the process of forgiving someone who has wronged us in some way, and while that definition certainly holds true, the Course teaches that forgiveness can be applied toward ourselves or to our thoughts about any situation in our lives as well. By this definition, what forgiveness really asks of us is to let go of the judgement we have placed on another person, ourselves, a situation or idea.

If I have a negative thought for example, I can forgive myself for having that thought, recognizing that I’m human, and in doing so I can choose to see things differently. By releasing my judgement and choosing to see again from a different perspective, I invite peace into my experience. Sometimes, I simply forgive myself for feeling down which is a huge act of compassion towards myself because by doing so I give myself permission to just be with whatever it is I’m going through.

Turning it over to you! How do you care for yourself when you’re feeling down? Did any of these ideas spark an “ah-ha” moment or resonate with you? As always, I love to hear from you. <3

xoxo

Kristi