Instead of forcing yourself to be positive and happy, here are 10 things you can do to feel okay during harsh times.
There are days when everything just feels off. It could be triggered by something heartbreaking, or it could have no reason at all.
You just feel heavy, foggy, and like you’re carrying the weight of the entire world on your shoulders.
In such times, even the basic tasks can feel gigantic and impossible to do.
So when someone tells me to stay positive, just be happy, or even surrender to my sad thoughts, I can’t help but sigh. All the advice feels like noise, to be honest.
When you’re feeling this low, jumping straight to joy isn’t just unrealistic but exhausting. At the same time, letting yourself be doesn’t sound right either.
Instead of forcing yourself into happiness or just letting yourself wallow, maybe we should just aim to be okay again?
Not bliss, not forced positivity, and not productivity. Just a quiet, calm, and soft ‘okay’.
When you are ‘okay’, your breath doesn’t feel stuck, your body doesn’t feel tense, and you are allowed to just be human. This can be such a saving grace and blessing on your hard days.
In this post, we are looking at 10 doable things you can do to feel okay again.
Try one of these tips, or try them all. Your goal isn’t to fix everything, but to just soften the edges of your mind and be…okay.
Let’s do this together.
How To Feel Okay Again – 10 Simple Things To Do
1. Tidy Up a Small Space
When your mind feels cluttered, your surroundings often mirror it. But the thought of cleaning your entire space when you’re already low can also be very daunting.
But that’s not what we’re really doing here. You are going to clean up a small corner of your house.
First, pick a tiny corner. It could be your bedside table, a dirty chair, or maybe a cluttered desk. Clear off the cups, fold the hoodie, wipe down the surface, and light a candle if that feels good.
This might feel like a small act, but don’t underestimate the power of creating a pocket of peace.
Your newly cleaned space will be a visual reminder that you are capable and that heaviness doesn’t control everything.
2. Get Sunlight On Your Skin
Walking outdoors is one of my favorite things to do on my routine days, but when things don’t feel right, the thought of stepping outside can feel too heavy.
So, don’t go full walk or spend hours outside. Just open your curtains, sit near the window, or step out onto the balcony.
And let the sunlight touch your skin, your face, your hands, your feet.
Because sunlight is medicine, in a subtle and life-giving way, that helps your body remember how to feel better.
Sunlight helps regulate your mood, boost serotonin, and reset your circadian rhythm. And beyond the science, it just feels good, you know.
That warm glow on your cheek, that natural brightness, that quiet reminder that the world is still turning — it matters.
So even if you don’t feel up for much, let the sun in. Let it wrap you up for a few seconds, because that might be all you need to shift the energy of your day.
3. Write the Most Honest Journal Entry Ever
You don’t have to be a journaler to do this, and you don’t have to write anything beautiful either.
Just open a notebook, a random Google Doc, or ehe Notes app in your phone, and let it all out.
Don’t try to censor yourself, and don’t overthink your words. Give yourself permission to be fully raw and honest.
It’s okay to write things like:
- I don’t even know why I feel like this.
- Everything feels pointless right now.
- I miss the version of me who felt okay.
Writing without a goal of resolution will let your inner voice breathe. And sometimes that alone helps lift a little bit of the weight.
You might not find clarity in one entry, but you’ll feel lighter because you gave your feelings somewhere to go.
4. Drink Something Warm
There’s something incredibly comforting about a warm drink. Not only does it hydrate your insides, the whole process is very meditative and calming.
Choose a tea that seems soothing in the moment, like chamomile tea, a spiced latte, or even warm water with lemon.
Boil the water, pick your favorite mug, add the tea bag, stir honey into the tea, and smell the steam before taking your first sip.
Let this be a small act of care for yourself.
If your mind starts to wander into anxious territory, gently bring it back to the simple question: “How does the tea taste? How does it feel?”
Where mindfulness is concerned in troublesome times, tea is the best thing you can go for to bring yourself back to the present and feel okay again.
5. Take a Slow Shower or Bath
When your mind is heavy, even basic hygiene can feel like a chore. But if you can convince yourself to get under warm water, something beautiful can happen.
Step into the bathroom for a soft shower or a bath. No need to rush it or multitask, and definitely no need to treat it like a checklist.
See your shower as a reset, nothing else.
Let the water run over your shoulders, let the warmth soothe the tension in your neck, and actually imagine the heaviness in your chest being washed away.
Use your favorite body wash, breathe in the scent, and close your eyes while massaging your skin.
You might not turn into a new person afterward, but you’ll definitely be cleaner and calmer, which is all you need to feel okay.
6. Put On Something Cozy and Non-Restrictive
When your heart feels tight, the last thing you need is clothing that makes your body feel the same way.
Take off your stiff jeans, unhook the uncomfortable bra, and pull your hair into a loose bun.
Wear the oversized hoodie that you love so much, or the softest t-shirt in your wardrobe, and put on some fuzzy socks, even if it’s 2 PM.
Dressing for comfort is an underrated form of self-care.
By doing so, you send a message to your body saying, “I’m not going to push you today. I’m going to be kind to you.”
And sometimes, that kindness is the beginning of healing and feeling okay again.
7. Move Your Body Gently
Exercise might be the last thing on your mind right now, but I am not asking you to do anything high-intensity.
Just do a form of movement that makes you feel a little alive. Just a little.
You can do a few yoga stretches, dance in your room with your eyes closed, or walk in slow circles in your house while music plays.
Movement doesn’t need to be productive to be powerful.
You’re not doing it to change your body. You’re doing it to change your state.
Because even the smallest bit of motion is enough to break the emotional fog and make you feel better.
8. Watch, Read, Or Listen To Something Familiar
Your world may be chaotic right now, but the imaginary worlds that you love watching on screens or reading on pages are still there.
It can really help to return to your familiar shows and books during such times.
You can:
- Watch that comfort show you’ve seen a hundred times.
- Listen to an album that carried you through a hard season.
- Reread a book with a happy ending you already know by heart.
There’s something sacred about predictability when your emotions feel unpredictable.
You don’t have to invest energy into new plotlines or new characters. You can just be, wrapped in the safety of a story you already love.
9. Do One Tiny Task That Makes You Feel Capable
When you’re overwhelmed, everything can be too much. All your pending tasks, the to-do lists, chores, and stuff from work.
Instead of trying to tackle it all, just pick one doable thing.
Wipe the mirror, sort one folder, reply to a text, or light a candle.
This step is not about productivity at all. It’s about reminding yourself that you are still functioning and very much capable.
You can still create a little order. You can still do meaningful things when your head is cloudy.
You just need to show up, move, and feel the satisfaction of getting it ‘done’, even if the task is as basic as washing a mug.
10. Call or Text That One Safe Person
Being seen and heard, even in the smallest way, can make you feel less alone in your low moment.
Reach out to a safe friend or family member, someone who makes you feel good.
Don’t do it with the idea of having a long heart-to-heart or to explain how you’re feeling.
Just seek connection by dropping a hi on text, or telling them you feel weird today, or asking them about a good thing from their day.
Your heart isn’t looking for advice here. It just needs warmth from someone to make it feel alive again.
Let someone love you, my friend, because that’s what connection is for.
Let’s Just Focus On Being Okay
I know they say that it’s okay to not be okay. But I also think that it’s okay to want to be okay, too.
Some days, just trying to feel okay again is the softest, bravest, most beautiful thing you can do.
So take it slow, be gentle with yourself, and know that these low moments don’t define you. They are going to pass, even if they feel permanent at the moment.
You are not broken. You are simply human. And you are allowed to move through this at your own pace, till you feel okay, better, and eventually good again.
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