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Why It's Normal To Feel Down Sometimes, And How To Deal With It

Why It's Normal To Feel Down Sometimes, And How To Deal With It
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Busy women are often expected to have their life sorted. You know: up early, exercise, powered-up work or family day, amazing social interactions, laughing at pressure and hurdles -- always holding it together and on a high.

That's what the world wants you to think. But it's wrong.

In fact, women who are flat out juggling everything often have moments of low times and often too ashamed to admit it when, in fact, it's normal. Yes. It is normal to feel flat sometimes.

Here's what other women go through on a regular basis and tips on how to get through it without seeing yourself as a failure or defective:

1. Lost interest

Do you feel like giving up on all your goals and dreams? Have you suddenly lost interest in your journey? You couldn't even care if you never left the house or even showered again? You're not alone. It's a classic sign of burnout.

This is normal, so don't feel as though you are the only one that has experienced it. Most women have.

Solution: give yourself a break. You probably haven't given yourself permission to do nothing (guilt free) in a long time. Take a week off or even a day off and spend it purely on YOU. Facials, shopping. Switch off emails and don't do any work. You will feel revitalised and often come up with new directions and ideas as a result.

2. Feeling like you can't get out of bed

If you feel like you never want to leave your bed again, this can be a result of fear.

Fear of failure, fear of not living up to your own expectations. It can cripple the best of women. However, most fear is developed all on our own and in our heads. However, we have control over what we fear and also how we deal with it.

Solution: admit your fear and write down three ways to face it. Ask a friend to be your mini coach and to push you through the journey. Then plan to reward yourself for each stage. E.g. Get out of bed and you get a coffee. Sounds simple but it works.

3. Heartache

We have all been there. But the pain doesn't last forever. Here's a strategy I use after a breakup.

Day one: Allow yourself to cry as much as you want. Get that crap out if your system. Block him on all communication. Out of sight out of mind (and you can do better).

Day two: Eat what you want.

Day three: Buy yourself something just for you. No need for justification.

Days four to seven: Get back to your routine and make sure you exercise a little each day.

Yes, it will take a little longer depending on the length of the relationship, but how you respond to negative situations will determine how you recover.

4. Non-stop eating

If food makes you happy when you're feeling down, guess what? You'll over-eat. So if you find yourself eating in excess, stop and have a look at what you were thinking -- or what happened -- right before your binge.

Solution: Once you identify what is causing you to grab the fourth doughnut, swap eating it for a productive activity. You could take a nap or go for a walk and think about how you can prevent yourself from being in that situation again in the future

5. Always distracted

Are you finding it hard to stick to one task for longer than a few minutes? Does your mind constantly drift to thoughts of the negative kind? Do you finish your day or week feeling like you have not achieved much at all?

Solution: the best way around this is to have a to-do list EVERY DAY. List on there just the three most important things you need to accomplish that day. Once you have ticked off those three, then you can rewards yourself with doing a fun activity or even a workout!

Also, find yourself positive quotes and put them on your desk, walls at home, phone, you name it -- you plaster those quotes wherever you need to in order to be reminded of who you are and where you are headed.

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