A tiny bit of progress is better than none at all.
Healing and coping isn’t an all-or-nothing situation.
By
Updated 1 year ago,January 16, 2024
These tips fromAsk Redditmight help you feel better again.
Cody Black
1.The thing youre upsetaboutis probably not the thing youre upsetby.
The one youre thinking about is just the one on top.
2.A tiny bit of progress is better than none at all.
Healing and coping isnt an all-or-nothing situation.
If youre too depressed to take a shower, but you might manage to brush your teeth, great!
You dont have to do the full program for it to be a success.
Maybe tomorrow youll shower instead, or youll just freshen up at the sink.
Any physical activity is better than none.
3.Youre allowed to cut toxic people out of your life.
Removing them creates a void that will pull in supportive and healthy people faster than you think.
4.It is OK to use sick time to take a day for yourself.
5.Learning breathing tips to help when youre feeling anxious or overwhelmed is a good first step.
Wont solve any underlying problems, therapy would probably be best for that.
6.You arent responsible for others happiness.
7.When youre wanting advice, think of what you would tell a friend if they were in that situation.
Feeling worthless and alone?
You wouldnt tell a friend well of course you are, look at you!
Youd give a shot to make them feel better.
you’re able to do that for yourself too.
8.Take anything that is stressing you out and break it apart.
Can it be broken up into multiple pieces?
How can you dissect this problem to solve it efficiently?
This is weird because they are technically existing in the future while physically living in the present.
Instead, take the problem or issue youre up against and make it as small as possible.
If the answer is nothing then youre better off letting it go until you could.
Be transparent about your experience of meeting with them, and try not to worry about hurting their feelings.
As a mental health professional, I wish more clients would advocate for themselves in this way.
Dont settle for working with someone who you dont connect with.
10.You should curate your viewing diet.
What you spend your time watching online affects your mental health.
You should avoid media you know is actively harming you.
11.Low vitamin D3 levels can exacerbate depression, so get some sunshine / take a supplement.
Just because the sobriety timer is at 5 minutes doesnt mean the last five days/weeks/months/years didnt happen.
13.Worried about what other people think of you?
People arent thinking about the things that you worrythey arethinking about.
Not as much, anyway.
Everyone is too busy with their own lives and ironically, worrying about what others think aboutthem.
Regardless of what people think about it, it helps you stay focused.
Drink plenty every day.
16.Do small new things every day if you feel like life is monotonous.
All of these are small but they can really change your days and even make you feel productive!
Learned that from personal experience.
Stick to oh man that sucks.
Im sorry thats happened to you or similar.
18.SLEEP is unbelievably important for your mental health.
A consistent sleep schedule will make working through shit possible.
19.Turn off the news.
20.Alcohol can give you anxiety or make your anxiety worse.
21.Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly rather than not at all.
Brushing your teeth for two minutes is too long?
Making a sandwich too much?
Eat the sandwich components instead of making one.
22.attempt to have compassion for those directing anger at you rather than getting angry yourself.
It sounds weird but if you instantly feel sorry for them it really changes the situation.
As a monk once told me, everyone has a road they walked to get to where they are.
And that road wasnt always filled with joy and happiness.
It made me realize that when people get angry its not you, its them.
They are unable to control their emotions and it usually stems from that road.
So I learned to have compassion instead of responding negatively.
23.Dont compare your behind-the-scenes to someone elses highlight reel.
24.Do things that combat whats making you depressed.
For example, I get super depressed by climate change news.
I now avoid that kind of news but also spend time trying to fix the issue.
Every little thing I do to help helps me indirectly.
25.If you had a weird dream, you wouldnt obsess over it, youd just let it go.
Do the same with your thoughts.
26.Keep a journal, even an audio one.
27.Acknowledge your feelings, pay attention to them and figure out what caused them.
Are you feeling anxious?
Was it because you were late to work today?
Or maybe are you actually always feeling anxious?
If you imagine X disappearing, do you feel less anxious?
Am I being rude to this person because Im anxious?
It could be anxiety, or depression, but also happiness, fear, anger, or whatever.
It takes a lot of time and its really, really difficult.
Otherwise, it will always be somewhere in your head waiting to hurt you.
28.Seriously, verify you surround yourself with people who care about you.
Moving, whether it be walking or dancing or weights or whatever is great for your brain.
It doesnt have to hurt.
30.Dont take criticism from anyone you wouldnt go to for advice.
