Everyone feels depressed and anxious from time to time. However, some of us are more susceptible to it than others. I’m one of those folks that struggle to keep an even keel and to fend off depression and anxiety.

I’ve been this way for many years, and as a result, I’ve come up with a plan for dealing with it when I do feel bad. These twelve things work for me, and I hope they can work for you too.

I remember it always passes

There is one thing that has been true every single time I’m depressed or anxious: I get over it. It passes. And most often, that which I was worried about happening never comes to pass. Feeling bad is temporary.

I breathe deeply and meditate

My go-to move is five deep, measured breaths. I do that if I can’t be alone in a peaceful spot to meditate. That always gives me a measure of calm.

If I can, I meditate. There are a ton of techniques, but here is how I do it: I take a deep breath and focus on the exhale. I count each exhalation and go until I lose focus and forget what number I am on. If I am not 100% sure what the next number is, I start over. I usually set a goal to reach before I stop, usually twenty. It often takes me three or four tries to make it.

I’ve gotten better at it and continue to increase the number that I can reach. (My record is 55) Mediation never fails to settle my spirit.

I count my blessings

Being grateful is a must. If you aren’t thankful for the countless blessings in your life, you will struggle to maintain good mental health. Even when things are at their lowest point, you can count all those things that you are grateful for. The list can be endless and making it can boost your mood. Try to write down five new things every morning when you get up.

I exercise

Exercise is critical. If you aren’t exercising, then frankly, you aren’t even trying to feel better. If I had to pick one thing on this list to do when I’m down, it’s getting out there exercising.

Exercise has countless benefits beyond improving your mental health — a feeling of accomplishment, better overall health, and fun.

You don’t have to do anything vigorous or join a gym. Just take a walk around your neighborhood. Do whatever you like — just get moving.

I eat well

Eating healthy, good food will make you feel better, help you lose weight, and make you feel good about yourself. Like exercise, the benefits are many. Whether you are vegan, keto, or whatever — find a diet plan that works for you and stick to it.

I often find that when I’m not eating well, I feel bad emotionally. Eating right is great preventative medicine.

I get enough sleep

Sleep falls into the same category as exercise and eating well. All involve taking good care of your body. Proper sleep gives your body and your mind time to recover and heal. I’m a huge fan of the Sunday afternoon nap.

Note, though, that I said “enough” sleep. Don’t sleep too much. Sleeping too much is often a sign of deep depression, and that isn’t good.

I write in my journal

I would see this advice all the time, and I resisted it for a long time. It just seemed to me to be a waste of time to write down what I was thinking anyway.

But so many people were singing its praises, that I broke down, and now I can’t imagine life without it. It doesn’t hurt that I treated myself to a lovely journal and a beautiful fountain pen.

I soon found what many people know — that writing things down is very therapeutic. Often I write away my bad feelings by letting them flow off the end of my pen. I make lists and copy the excellent advice that I often read.

I curate my feed

Removing all the useless, hateful crap from my feed has been revelatory. I realized that reading the news was getting me upset, so I quit. I hid the news. I don’t read it anymore. I stopped following those people on Twitter and Facebook who regularly post political topics. I told Google that I didn’t care about current events. I just stopped paying attention.

And you know what? I don’t miss it one bit. I couldn’t tell you what is going on in the news, but I’m entirely okay with that. Instead, my feed is full of things that interest me like new software development techniques and NBA basketball and all kinds of good, happy things.

I read and look at uplifting things

Instead, I fill my feed with uplifting things. If you carefully curate your Reddit groups, you can use it to feed you pictures of baby elephants, things that make you smile and go “aww”. You can see people losing surprising amounts of weight, and you can read an endless supply of wholesome memes and funny jokes.

If I’m feeling down, I break out Chicken Soup for the Soul and other uplifting stories. There is a staggering amount of uplifting, positive material out there on the Internet. Don’t be afraid to search for it and read it.

I connect with friends and family

Isolation is a symptom of depression, and being alone is often a recipe for mental health troubles. If you find yourself alone too much, reach out. Call your mom, if you can. Connect with friends. Get on the phone and connect with family. Don’t be shy. I’m very blessed to have my sister as my go-to person. She’s almost always able to chat, and when she can’t right away, just knowing that I have a scheduled call with her is guaranteed to improve my outlook on life.

Don’t have anyone? Go to a meetup. Join a club. Start going to church, even if you don’t believe. There are people out there who would love to meet you.

I do something nice for someone else

Doing a kindness for someone is a salve to the heart. There is no limit to this, and no act is too big or too small. Hold open a door for someone. Serve meals at a homeless shelter. Visit a shut-in. Call a friend that you think might need cheering up.

There simply isn’t enough kindness in the world, and contributing to the pool always makes me feel better.

I listen to classical music

Listening to music is a bit hit or miss for me. If I listen to music from my youth, it very often reminds me of things I prefer not to think about. I’ve recently started listening to country music, which doesn’t carry any baggage for me because it is all new.

However, nothing soothes my soul like classical music. I have a particular favorite — Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony — that I find so beautiful it often brings me to tears of joy. I bet I’ve listened to that piece a thousand times. I’m not sure what it is about classical music, but the beauty and orderliness of it are very soothing to me and never fails to calm my nerves.

Conclusion

Everyone feels down at times, some more than others. No one likes it, especially me. These techniques all work for me, and if I am feeling down, I go down the list to make sure I am doing all of these things regularly. They have all proved to be of value to me, and I hope that they do to you as well.