Put those sad thoughts away

As I mentioned in an earlier post, several friends of mine are undergoing a period of grief and loss. One of them recently asked how to perk up emotionally and keep the sad thoughts at bay. I shared these tips with her, and thought it might also help whoever needs it too. 

Tip #1: Allocate a specified amount of time each day to allow yourself to grief. 

During this time (it can be 30 min, an hour, etc.), allow your mind to wander into the painful thoughts, cry if you want to. By not suppressing the sadness, you help to prevent it from surfacing throughout the day. More importantly, it makes it less likely for you to dream about it (dreams are sometimes the result of subconscious desires and thoughts suppressed during the day). 
**Some people drink. DO NOT DO IT. It does not make you any better.**
Outside of the allocated time, make sure you focus on happy, positive thoughts and productive activities. 

Tip #2: Try folding origami. It can be paper stars, cranes, anything. 

From personal experience, it kept my hands busy (I'm naturally restless), and allowed me to hone into my thoughts. Origami folding time became my private time to think. At first, my thoughts would be clouded with sad, negative ones. Eventually, they gained clarity, turning into rational, positive ones instead. By the end of origami time, I felt at peace with myself. 

Furthermore, origami paper is inexpensive, and therefore a much more guilt-free outlet than retail therapy. The cute patterns and bright colors also help to improve your mood (compare staring at colorful objects versus grey, dull ones)!

During the darkest hours, these two exercises had helped me put my sadness away, both mentally and symbolically. If you think it might work for you too, please do give it a try =) 

Other ways to make yourself feel better would be exercising. Exercise helps pump endorphins through your system, raising your mood. Or learn something new! When you keep your mind occupied, you have no time to be sad. The sense of accomplishment will help too.

And let me know if you have other tips to share, we can all make a positive difference to someone else! ^_^ 


P.S. Ag, this post is dedicated to you <3