Disclaimer: I don’t mean that you should ignore your emotions. You should always try and work to finding the root of your negative emotions and finding what changes you can make in your life to help fix that. I am making this list because sometimes you just feel down and there’s nothing you can do about it, and from my own experience the best way to cope with that is to get yourself to focus on something else.
1. Drawing/Writing. I know a lot of people stray away from this option because they feel that they can’t draw or write well to which I say this is not something that has to be shared with anyone if you don’t feel comfortable, it is just something for yourself.
2. Clean your room/house. When trying to cope with negative emotions it is really important to feel like you have control over your life, and this can start with feeling like you have control over your environment.
3. Gardening. This may not be possible for everyone but I figured I would put it on this list because it is something that has helped me from time to time. Getting to do something with your hands and just regain connection with nature is really special and soothing. Gardening is nice because you have to put in a little work every day to help your plant grow and you can see the growth over time which gives a sense of accomplishment.
4. Getting physical. A lot of people don’t like strenuous exercise but you don’t have to do that if you don’t want to. Even just going for a short walk will be very helpful. Just do what you’re comfortable with. The hardest part of this is just starting and after you will feel much more refreshed.
5. Treat yourself. Whatever it is, do it and don’t feel guilty.
A lot of people are reluctant to take out time to do things like this because our society has trained us to constantly be doing something else and improving ourselves in some ways. But the problem with this is if we don’t take out time to take care of ourselves, and I don’t just mean 10 minutes every hour, we will burn out, and improving further will be even harder. Don’t be afraid to prioritize your mental health.
Hobbies you can pick up to distract from negative emotions
