by Kristen Bevilacqua

Created on: November 07, 2009

Life is full of ups and downs. The down times, although sometimes painful, are natural. It can be difficult to find your way out of a rut when you are feeling down. You can find ways to pick yourself up and get through the rough days.

* Try to Pinpoint the Problem
When things get us down, it can be helpful to identify the source of the unhappiness. When you know the culprit, you can take steps to rectify, avoid or deal with it. An open awareness of your feelings is the first step to healing.

* Keep Moving
Avoiding life will only make you feel more down. Keep up with your commitments - go to work, take care of yourself and don't avoid interaction with others. It will be easier to lift yourself from that rut if you maintain your daily life and responsibilities. The guilt from letting yourself down would only make it worse.

* Find Your Happy Place
Discover little things in your life that give you pleasure, even if that feeling is momentary. It could be anything from quiet time to read a book, a glance at a photo that reminds you of a happy time, a phone call to a friend or even 5 minutes sitting in the grass doing nothing. Combat the down feelings with little rays of sunshine. It is okay if they do not last very long, even a small bright spot in a dark day can provide some hope.

* Lean on Loved Ones
Stay in touch with the people who care about you. When you are down it is important to remember that you are loved. You don't have to talk about your sadness or why you are feeling down with them. Any sort of contact - meeting for coffee, going to a movie, a shopping excursion - can be an uplifting experience. Your friends want to be supportive to you, so let them.

* Time Heals All
Whether you recognize why you feel down or the source of the feeling remains a mystery, its important to know that it will not last forever. Allow yourself time, if you need it. Making it okay to feel down, sad or depressed will give you the time you need to explore your emotions without the self-inflicted judgement.

And if all else fails and you just need to sit on the couch for a day, just remember... tomorrow is a new day.

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