The main reasons I began this blog was to help others – so here’s a blog post for anyone’s who’s feeling sad: Here are 34 things to do when you are sad.
I may not know the reason behind your sadness, but I hope you find something that can help you in some way.
1. Create Art / DIY crafts
It’s not about creating something good enough to be seen and complimented on by others.
Create for the sake of creating – do it for yourself.
Do it to have fun and lose yourself in creating something with your bare hands. For example:
Create a Painting
Draw Something
Make a Bath Bomb
Create a Clay Sculpture
For more, try these blog posts: 50 Irresistible Craft Ideas to Make (And Sell… only if you want to!) or 30 Cool & Easy Things to Draw
2. Listen to Beautiful Music
Listen to your favorite songs. Whenever I feel sad, this is an absolute must for me. Music really does help to soothe a sad soul.
3. Dance to Your Favorite Songs
As you’re listening to your favorite songs, dance along to them too!
4. Write in a Journal
Writing in a journal is a great way to cope with one’s sadness: It acts almost as if you are sharing your thoughts with someone else, except it’s private place just for you.
It also helps you physically see where your thoughts go so that you can find ways to better understand your thoughts and emotions.
Read my blog post for more: Stream of Consciousness in Journaling
5. Read a Book
Books are the best way to go for a little escape from reality. One book I highly recommend for those feeling sad is The Book of Awakening by Mark Nepo.
It’s filled with 365 short chapters for each day of the year.
Each chapter is a short story about 1-3 pages that teaches something eye-opening about life.
Plus, his writing is absolutely beautiful… there is at least one quote I underline on each page. This is definitely one of those books everybody should read at least once in their life.
6. Watch Motivational Youtube Videos
When you don’t know what to do when you’re sad, try searching for some motivational videos on Youtube. There are a ton – but here are some of my favorites:
7. Acts of Kindness
Be kind to everyone you see today and help others who need help.
Being kind helps everyone feel great: Both you and the people around you. And I’m one to believe that when you bring kindness to the world around you, the world has a way of bringing kindness back to you.
8. Forgive
Stop dwelling on the negative.
Forgive others. Forgive yourself. And move on from the cause of your sadness. Let it all go.
Nothing lasts forever and everything is small in comparison to this huge world and life we are given. So let it go and move forwards. Stop dwelling.
9. Get to Know Yourself
Sometimes the best thing to do when we’re sad is to go inwards and stop avoiding the sadness.
Sit yourself down with some coffee or tea, a notebook, and have a conversation with yourself.
Sometimes we get so caught up trying to learn about the world around us that we completely ignore what is going on inside ourselves.
Read this blog post for 100 Questions to Ask Yourself for Self Growth
10. Pretty Yourself Up
Change up your outfit for the day. Get a haircut or trim up your bangs. Try out a new makeup look. Use a new perfume.
I know that when I get sad, I tend to look like a bum… Spending a little bit more time pampering yourself can help change your perspective a little and turn the day around for the better.
11. Visit a New Cafe!
I’m not sure if you’re a coffee or tea person, but I love drinking a nice, cozy cup of coffee to lift my mood up.
12. Take a Walk or Ride Your Bike
If you’re feeling sad, get out there and experience a change in scenery. Watch the clouds, take in the trees, and just enjoy a good walk or bike ride. Even if it’s just up and down your street – do it.
Going outside for a walk does wonders to help elevate one’s emotional state.
For me, listening to my favorite songs while going for a walk is sublime… sometimes I feel as if want to walk forever because the feeling is just that great.
13. Develop your Self Awareness
If you know your sadness is a more deeply rooted issue, developing one’s self awareness is going to be the first step you’re going to want to take in overcoming your sadness.
Read my blog post: 8 Steps to Be More Self Aware
14. Set Goals. Create change.
Setting goals for yourself and working on them can help your overall state of mind by taking that first step towards change.
Your goals should be small and easy to accomplish, but as you keep working on them, you’ll be closer and closer to where you want to be in the future.
The only person who can change the course of your life is yourself. So take action and create change.
15. Do Something You’ve Always Wanted to Do
Be a little adventurous.
Is there something you’ve wanted to do lately or some place you’ve always wanted to go but never made the time to go there? Well, now’s your chance to do it!
Experiencing something new is a great way to put the sadness behind you and put life into a new perspective. Go on an adventure!
16. Spend Some Time with Animals
No matter how we’re feelings, animals just have a way of making us happy again.
Spend some time out in nature observing wildlife.
Volunteer at a local animal shelter or wildlife rehabilitation center.
Even just petting someone else’s dog or seeing dogs enjoy their walks can really brighten my day.
17. Buy Something that Makes you Happy
Go to a local thrift store or find a new boutique somewhere – And buy something that makes you happy.
It’s the element of surprise, plus the little quirkiness and cute that makes finding that item to special.
I love going to thrift stores and finding treasures and beautiful unique items that I wouldn’t be able to find otherwise.
18. Hang Out with Your Friends!
Whenever you’re sad, go spend some time with your friends.
Talk it out with them… Or even if you don’t, spending time with them just takes you away from your sad emotions and helps brings a smile to your face.
19. Meet New People
Even just meeting one new person and getting to know a small part of them can be a really eye-opening experience.
We learn something new from every person we meet and I’m one to believe that we meet people for a reason… every single one of them.
So go and get to know someone new – Make a friend – and see what little lessons the world has for you in every person you meet.
20. Eat Out at a New Restaurant
Whether it’s some greasy fast food or a fancy new restaurant that opened in town, try eating out.
Enjoying new food can really help bring a smile to your face.
21. Cry
It’s okay to cry.
I know a lot of people really hate to cry, but sometimes you just got to cry.
All that sadness has got to go somewhere – so let it out.
22. Clean Up / Organize Your Space
A cluttered room can really add on to the negative emotions inside you and make them worse.
Try cleaning up or organizing the space around you – It can really help you feel fresh to start off anew.
23. Explore the Magical Outdoors!
Exploring the great outdoors is a magical, yet very humbling experience for everyone.
Go visit your local park, the mountains, a field, the beach, a river, or the desert. It’s one of the best solutions for a sad heart.
24. Meditate
Close your eyes. Breathe. Let the thoughts fade out and solely focus on the task of breathing.
And you don’t even have to meditate on your breathing. You can go outside and focus solely on being outside. You can listen to music and solely focus on that music.
Focus on the present moment and live in the calmness that comes when you let your thoughts fade away.
25. Make Your Favorite Food (And Eat It)
Comfort food is the best 🙂 Especially when you eat it while watching your favorite Youtube channel or television show. Try whipping up your favorite comfort food and then relax and relish the taste of your food.
26. Buy Flowers for Yourself
This may be strange – but try buying flowers for yourself. Or go outside and pick some flowers from the yard or a nearby field.
Cherish the little things of beauty you bring into your life and let it bring an extra moment of happiness into your everyday life.
27. Change Your perspective
You are perfect as you are – in this place and in this time. No matter what paths you could have taken in your past, you are without a doubt meant to be here.
There is a reason for everything in life, and because you are here, you are learning, growing, and evolving just as you are supposed to be.
28. Wake Up Early
Try waking up earlier: Waking up early can help you feel more energized and get more accomplished earlier in the day.
Sometimes my best, most productive, or even life-changing days begin when I wake up at 4 o’clock.
Sometimes I don’t even know what I’m going to do at 4 o’clock in the morning, but the things I end up doing wouldn’t have been able to happen if I woke up at my usual time.
If you want to change your life around, waking up even a little bit earlier can really change your life around in a total 360.
29. Exercise
A great thing to do when you’re sad is to exercise: It helps you go to sleep, reduce stress, increase your energy levels, and most of all – helps you feel happier.
If you’re looking for some quick exercises you can do at home, try doing a couple of exercises from Blogilates on Youtube. Here is her 8 min at Home Cardio Workout video.
30. Smile
Some days are just hard to even force a smile on your face, but do it anyways! Smiling to yourself or smiling for others can really help change the outlook of the day.
31. Take a Break from Social Media
When life gets a bit overwhelming, it can be a good idea to take a break from social media.
I know many of us have our social media as practically a part of ourselves, but really… it’s not.
32. Write About What You Love About Yourself
When you’re sad, it can be really helpful to write a list about everything you love about yourself.
Remind yourself of these things everyday while building onto that list. Recognize the good – and remember what an amazing person you are, no matter what may be happening to you right now. You are amazing.
33. End the Procrastination!
Do what you need to do. Is there one thing in your life that you have an inkling of a feeling you should try, but the easy thing to do is avoid it?: To keep living life as you are living it now?
If you want change, you’re going to have to be the one to bring about that change yourself.
So – go on. We have a long life to live – spend it chasing your passions.
34. Ask for Help
Ask for help, whether it be from a friend or a professional.
A heart-to-heart session is very much-needed in this day and age, so don’t be afraid to ask.
Everybody needs help in one way or another – No matter who you are, you just simply can’t do everything alone.
It’s hard to find any one solution to our sadness, but I hope you are one step closer to figuring out what will help you overcome your own sadness.
Related Reads:
100 Life Lesson I’ve Learned
How I Overcame My Social Anxiety
61 Simple Daily Reminders
If you found this post helpful, feel free to like, comment or share this post down below. Thank you for reading and until next time my lovely readers xx
some people are sad because they’ve lost their pet or something is wrong with their pet. perhaps you should remove the “hang out with your pet” option so it doesn’t sadden them some more. 🙂
Oh my goodness!.
Thank you so much you amazing!.
I really needed something like this!.
hi im jasmine age 11 just got a new puppy along with my sister we had 3 after that coz we already had a family dog. My mum said they were stressing her out too much so my sisters and my new puppies ha to go my sisters puppy went first and i have half an hour until the woman is comming to get my puppy and take him to his new home the worst part is sitting here and having to wait and seeing my puppy laying on the floor or playing with our family dog and i wonder if he can sense something is different, if he can somehow tell what is happening. I wonder if he’ll remember me
I’m so sorry to hear that 🙁 It must be very difficult for the both of you… I am sending you much love.
Thank You So Much, For Your Words Of Wisdom, I Have Decided On Going To A Job Interview On Wednesday, It’s McDonald’s But It’s Time For Me To Be Around People. That’s The First Change. I’ve Decided That Looking @ My New Walls Of Three Months Isn’t A Good Deal.I I Do Have Three House Plants That Seem To Enjoy, I Am A Young Sixty Meme To My Grandchildren, Though Thanksgiving Will Be The Time Sense January That I’ve Seen Them That Will Be Different. So Maybe I’m On A Roll. Thanks So Much, Marcia Dove
Yess, do what feels right for you! Wishing you all the best on your interview and everything else to come <3
You can add take a nap it might make you feel better
I think that’s a great idea as well.
I think these tips are amazing for the people that need help. I appreciate you sooo much! <3
Hello! I just wanted to thank you for the amazing tips! After my sister saw this, she followed every single thing that you posted. And now she’s doing really well. Thank you sooo much! ❤
I think asking for help is mostly important. Although I have tried in many ways, it is never easy and even just the opposite of my expectation. So, a truthful advice from someone is important more and more!
I too have the same trouble! Wishing you only the best and thank you for your comment <3
Thank you
<3 Wishing you only the best!!