5 Small Things You Can Do This Week to Feel Better
Content Warning: Mention of Depression
Hello besties! It’s your Friday check-in time! How are we doing mentally, spiritually, and emotionally? I will go first: if I’m being honest, this final exam season is not treating me nicely, but that’s okay we all feel overwhelmed from time to time and if you’re feeling the same— we got this! The burden we feel from time to time will allow us to appreciate the great things coming our way in the future more.
In this week’s blog, I’ll share 5 simple and small things you can do this week to feel just a little lighter. Together, let’s embrace our emotions and thoughts, even if they make us a little sad, because at the end of the day, whatever it is that you’re feeling are all valid.
Tip #1: Express Your Feelings
Being able to feel and to have feelings is a beautiful thing, because that is what makes us human. When you ignore your feelings, they don’t just disappear, the more you suppress them, the heavier they get. Expression is the opposite of depression, when you suppress your emotions, it creates tension, but when you express them, it creates release.
Expressing your feelings is not just talking to someone; it can take many different forms like journaling, talking to a mirror, using voice memos, writing letters you don’t send, or as simple as crying.
Always remember, having emotions doesn't make you weak; you are allowed to feel and to feel deeply. What matters the most is feeling safe within yourself and being honest with how you feel. You don’t need to be strong all the time. You just need to be honest.
Tip #2: Move— Even If You’re Sad (Especially If You’re Sad!)
I’m not just asking you to move and exercise because I work at the RAWC. I’m suggesting movement because it helps emotions to move through your body instead of letting them stay stuck.
When I said, “feel your emotions”, I mean to really feel~~~ it, feel deeply with every inch of your muscles, feel it in your vein, and feel it in your soul. You can be sad but be sad while you walk and be sad outdoors by letting the wind hold you. Here are a few ways to move when you don’t feel your best:
- Visit a park, walk around, find a tree that speaks to you, and speak your truth to it. Allow yourself to heal in the comfort of nature.
- Stretch your body or do some yoga (especially Yin yoga), let the emotions run through your body and take it slow when you do it
- Dance around, even if there’s a war going on inside your head. We’re all guilty of listening to sad music that properly isn’t helping us too much, but music is also a form of release for emotions, so move while you listen to it and let your body guide your movement.
Movement doesn’t have to be just exercise; it can be a form of release as it boost your mood physiologically by increasing endorphins and circulation. You don’t have to feel good to move— but movement might help you feel a little less heavy.
Tip #3: Stay Hydrated (Your Body Is Doing Its Best)
If you’ve seen me around campus, you’ve probably seen me carrying that giant Stanley cup around, but I’ll admit that I am also guilty of not drinking enough water— especially during winter.
Hydration is the simplest task you can do today to get one step closer to your self-care journey. Not only does it keep you hydrated, but it also gives you the power to move, stay focused; and supports healthy skin, giving you the glow that radiates from within.
As simple as it sounds, taking the first step is always the hardest, so make it easy for yourself, and consider:
- Keeping a water bottle nearby
- Adding lemon, cucumber, etc.
- Drinking herbal teas/ warm water
On average, our body contains more than 50% of water. Let’s do a thought experiment and think of our body as a car that runs on gas. Imagine your car being low on gas, and you’re flooring it, hoping to bring out its performance. That’s not going to work well, right? Water is the maintenance our body needs to regulate the entire system, and you’re the only mechanic who can perform and take care of that.
Tip #4: Spend Time Alone (Know Thyself)
No, I am not contradicting the first tip with this one;, you can express your feelings with whoever you want, but you also need time to process them on your own. We need to understand that alone time is not loneliness— it’s clarity.
And when I say spend time alone, I don’t mean spending hours alone to doomscroll on TikTok while you do the bed rotting. I mean to really spend time alone— no phone, no distraction, just you and your thoughts or emotions.
One mistake that students our age often make is to seek love from others and not from within. And something I truly believe is that you cannot love someone until you have experienced that kind of love from yourself first. You have to know yourself first before you can love and care for others. Being alone helps process emotions.
I’ve always been a bit of a “thought daughter”; I love to ponder and to wander around in my mind, it’s one of my coping mechanisms besides journaling. Alone time is not isolation, it’s a form of self-care, and it’s a discussion platform for you and yourself.
Tip #5: Create Something (Turn Emotion into Art)
Emotions and thoughts are messages from your body to express them. We all have feelings; the only difference is how we express them. Think of our feelings as prompts, for example, right now I’m turning my emotions into words— writing this piece and sharing my thoughts with you guys.
Creative expression is like emotional alchemy. By allowing the darkness to express itself, we can alchemize darkness into light. You don’t have to be creative or artistic;, we all create -, they just look different to everyone. Here are some accessible forms:
| Doodling | Poetry |
| Photography | Baking |
| Playing Music | Journaling |
Your creation does not have to be “good” or perfect; it just has to be real and genuine. Let what hurts become something beautiful— even if only you ever see it.
Quote of the Week:
“Sometimes it feels like I’ve got a war in my mind. I wanna get off, but I keep riding the ride. I never really noticed that I had to decide. To play someone’s game or live my own life.” — Lana Del Rey, Get Free
You don’t need to have a solution for every feeling you experience, and you don’t need to do all five of the tips, just choose one to start. Be soft with yourself this week, even if you have a lot on your plate. You’re doing the best you can, and that is more than enough.
Farewell Before Final Exams:
With exam and holiday season approaching, I’d like to send some blessings to you, our beloved readers. The UTM Moves Team and I wish you luck for final exams and we hope you have an amazing time during the winter break. The blog will return in January with exciting news coming! Good luck and take care! We got this, besties!
