Well, it seems the existential depression is kicking in. That would be the exhaustion, the heaviness, the inner voice muttering “who cares, what’s the point” to every thought you have. If you’re new to it, I’m sorry: it sucks a lot! But I do have a few suggestions to fight it.
1) Keep things clean. Your house, your car, your body. My dad’s theory is that your inner voice tends to believe that if your surroundings are dirty, it’s because you don’t deserve better, and it becomes a vicious cycle of reinforcing belief.
I don’t know if that’s true, but I do know that I just vacuumed my house & it helped. So: make your bed, take the trash out, keep the kitchen counters clean. Take a shower! It makes a big difference, I promise.
2. Along these lines, tend to yourself. Give yourself a manicure, a mud mask, a beard deep-conditioning (that’s a thing, right?). Do your makeup, braid your hair. Whatever. Even if no one sees you, you’re reminding your subconscious mind that you’re worth pampering.
3. Help someone else. This has gotten trickier these days, but it’s still possible. Call a friend, offer to video chat with someone else’s kid, donate money, take your partner’s car for an oil change. Sometimes helping others is easier than helping yourself!
4. Adopt a daily project, ideally something that will accrue benefits over time. Do a 30-day yoga challenge, spend 20 minutes a day on a language learning app, practice an old musical instrument or learn a new one. This will give you a small dose of accomplishment every day!
4. Grow something. Put your hands in the dirt. If you have a yard, plant some stuff. If you have houseplants, tend to them. Maybe start some seedlings in your kitchen window. Maybe start some cuttings in a jar. Engaging with the green world is always good for us.
5. Figure out a daily schedule that works for you & try to stick to it. Get up around the same time each day. Do your morning things. Have lunch. Do your afternoon. Have dinner. Go to sleep around the same time each night.
6. Move your body! Whether it’s a workout, a dance party, or just a walk around the block, you need to move. Not just for your body, but for your brain. Even five minutes of simple stretches will help! Jump, dance, run, walk, skip, bike, swim, ski, play!
7. Eat well! It’s fine if you’re working through that stack of frozen pizzas, but like, eat a vegetable now and again. Have some protein with all your carbs. Get some healthy fat. It’s good for your brain. Get some unhealthy fat. It’s good for your soul. 💜
8. Be gentle with yourself! It’s okay if you’re bummed out—this is a bummer of a situation. It’s okay if you’re not as productive as you want to be. It’s okay if your kids are going feral. It’s okay if you spend the weekend binging Netflix. This is hard. Cut yourself some slack.
9. Support each other. What other things help you fight off the darkness? Please add your suggestions! And if you need help, please reach out. So many of us are itching for a chance to be valuable to someone else. Let’s help each other. 💜💜💜
Astronaut Scott Kelly has more tips!
