Dear Optimists,
I think I’ve run into a brick wall. My mood is low and I seem to have trouble looking on the bright side of life. The ideas and happiness seems to have left me.
I’ve tried all the things that would normally get me into a better mood, but without any success.
Reading causes me to fall asleep. Which also happens to be the reason why I hate hardcover books. They hurt. 
Funny movies and awesome sitcoms don’t seem to affect me.
Drawing, which I love with all my heart, doesn’t make me smile as much as it used to.
(My drawing of an original painting by Павел Безруков for my cousin’s thesis on old men and football)
I even tried singing and dancing – something that ALWAYS works for me. These days it only seems to be working just for the moment. Which is better than nothing.
This is the only way of smiling I can do these days.
It could be the fact that I’ve been ill for the past month. Or that I have a shitload of oral exams this month that causes me to freak. But dear Optimists, what do you do when you hit rock bottom? What makes you smile?
Love,
Nadia.
dearoptimists.wordpress.com 
You could try meditation. I heard that it helps a lot. For me I usually eat chocolate and listen to music until I’m bored and tired enough to go to sleep then in the morning I feel brighter than ever 🙂 cheers Nadia! Hope that you’ll have better days!
Oh yeah, meditation. Actually sounds like a brilliant idea. Especially because I believe this sadness is caused by severe stress. Thank you, Daphnée ❤
Bohemian Rhapsody! Awwww… how could Queen NOT cheer you up? I would play “Don’t Stop Me Now” whenever I feel down. =D
I know, right!? Queen ALWAYS makes me feel awesome, but not these days. “Don’t Stop Me Now” is also one of my favourites. I don’t know why they aren’t working!?
Well, I know how it feels, there are days where nothing you do would cheer you up and you don’t know why.
For me, I would either:
1) Sleep
2) Run my heart out
or
3) Hang out with my best friends.
Normally it doesn’t work immediately, but it does help to forget the foul mood. =D
If only I could get my arse out of the house. But first thing tomorrow morning will be heading down to the gym! It seems like most of you try to do some sort of exercise when feeling low, so I should give it a go!
A looong walk. Or some yoga. Brightly coloured food like bell peppers or even a tropical fruit smoothie helps. And, reminding myself that this low period is a phase and it will pass helps a lot.
I’ve been thinking about taking up yoga down at my gym. And brightly coloured food – I’m gonna cook some tonight then! Thank you, Sharon sweety ❤
maybe that’s s.a.d! hmm.. if i were you i’d try going out with friends or playing my childhood outdoor games. 🙂 i hope that you’ll feel better one of these days nadia. 😀
The friend-thing helped a bit, but not a whole lot, unfortunately. But the outdoor games, I should try that. Thank you, Marian 🙂
welcome Nadia! 😀 i hope it’ll work, even just a bit. 😀 and I also hope that your mood will get better. haha! 🙂
What makes me smile is talking to you, Nadia! That’s the problem, we’ve both been sick and haven’t had time to chat!
❤ Den
You’re just awesome, dood. And you know it. Been missing the hell out of you! ❤
I can’t really give you useful advice since I still don’t know how to deal with stress effectively, but I think you shouldn’t force yourself to feel better. Just accept it that things are not so bright and happy now, embrace it, and they will turn around eventually. Oh, and don’t forget the chocolate.
Happy New Year to both of you!
Fellow Philosopher, you definitely have a point (and damn, it’s obvious that you study philosophy, too 😉 )
Happy New Year, Noemi!
I listen to quiet music (like Bon Iver or Yann Tiersen) and look at pictures from the past with my best friends or closest family. Especially my nephew and niece make me smile, also if it’s only pictures of them I’m looking at. Also talking to friends over the phone. They can always cheer me up. 🙂
Hope you find a way to get optimistic again.
After I read this, I started editing photos I took of my nieces during Christmas. It did indeed make me smile 🙂
Thank you!
I second, third, and fourth the suggestions to exercise! Even if you just take a walk (hopefully in some sunshine) it may help. Other things that help when I’m depressed are things like taking vitamins and eating healthfully, even though it sounds like way too much effort (lol). Or, if all else fails, get a tight grip and hang on for dear life until the stress-causing events have passed. Hugs, Nadia, and good luck on the oral exams!
Sunshine is very hard to find in Denmark in January. But fuck it, I went out anyway! I even drive on my bike in the rain the 4 km to the fitness center to exercise!
❤ Thank you so much, dearest Carolynn (you should be getting a big letter from Denmark any time soon, hehe)
For me a good dose of sunshine works wonders. Hope you are feeling more optimistic soon!
Works for me as well. I’ve tried to threat the rain to go away and yell at the sun to make it shine, but it haven’t worked yet. 😉
Exercise will help, even though it might be a struggle to start with. Failing that, retail therapy always shifts a black mood for me. Hope you feel better soon!
Thanks so much 🙂 I’ve started exercising in a fitness center (besides biking around in the rain) – it’s wonderful!
I have been there many a times. The solution always depends on how I’m feeling, but two random ones that work for me are 1) rearrange the furniture…something about bringing new chi to the apt perhaps?? 2) watch TED videos. They are about other people’s ideas and hope for the world so there’s no thinking/creating on my part, but it sinks in (even when I’m playing Family Feud at the same time) and inspires me to do whatever I want to do no matter how big or small.
It’s always the same during the dull Winter months, am I right? I’m gonna check out those TED videos (and that game. I love games)! Thank you so much for great advice 🙂
Well, reading this blog usually puts a smile on MY face, but that may not work on your end. 😉
In which case, I recommend watching Muppet movies. Many many Muppet movies.
And ice-cream.
And a big ol’ virtual hug from me.
–SQUEEZE!–
Ha ha, that’s so cute! It actually worked a little to look back at things. People shouldn’t give advice when not using the same advice when it comes to their own problems, right? 😉
That virtual hug worked wonders! YAY! ❤
Love love love love love this post! … Reading stuff like this makes me smile 🙂
Cheers ❤ 🙂
Calling my mom…sometimes it makes me cry at first as I explain why I THINK I am feeling blue, and depressed. BUT in the end just talking it out seems to help me. If not that…just turn up the tunes THE HAPPIEST songs you know (ABBA usually does it for me) and then there you go…sing your way to happiness.
Singing is a great solution, definitely! Talking to Mum is great, too – but it also makes me cry out loud! “Muuuuuummyyyyyyyy…” 🙂