All emotions are natural but maintaining a healthy balance of positive and negative emotions is important. The next time you find yourself feeling down, try one of these strategies for picking yourself back up again:

  1. Connect with nature. Surrounding yourself with the beauty and tranquility of the natural world can help reduce your stress and give you a greater sense of perspective.
  2. Rediscover your joy. Revisit a hobby or activity that you used to enjoy but haven’t had much time for lately — it could bring back some of the feelings of happiness attached to it.
  3. Journal your gratitude. Taking some time every day to write down the things you’re grateful for can make you appreciate them more. It also gives you a resource for those moments when you’re having trouble finding the positive in your life.
  4. Say thank you. Properly thanking someone who has helped you out or added to your life can make you both feel better about yourselves. Try calling up or writing a nice note to someone you care about to let them know you appreciate them.
  5. Keep in touch. It’s easy to get distracted and lose touch with those you love. Making the effort to stay connected to friends and family can help you hold onto feelings of joy and togetherness.
  6. Be mindful. Meditation can help you tune out the fears and anxieties of life. Try taking a few moments here and there to get away from the distractions of your day and tune into your senses.
  7. Help others out. Volunteering for a cause you care about can give you a sense of purpose and fulfillment that lasts long after your shift.
  8. Get more exercise. Physical activity isn’t just good for your body — it may improve your mental well-being too, reducing your levels of stress, anger, anxiety and depression.
  9. Accept your feelings. Giving yourself time to recognize and process negative emotions, and to remember that feelings come and go naturally, can help you return to a happy place more easily.
  10. Limit social media. When you use social media, it can be very easy to unfavorably compare your own life to the curated images you receive of other people’s. Stepping away now and then can help you regain perspective and feel better about yourself.