Sometimes it’s due to depression, grief, a major life change (moving, changing jobs or schools, family changes), and other times it can be more of an occasional low mood day or week etc that we just don’t feel like ourselves.  Today I’ll provide a few ideas to help you feel more like yourself.  These are also transferable skills/ suggestions if you’re concerned about a family member or friend who might benefit from some support in this area. 

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First off, attend to your activities of daily living:  Eat something nourishing, drink a glass of water, take a shower and shampoo your hair.  If you are tired and can take a nap, take a nap.  The core building blocks of our mood and well-being tend to be sleep, exercise, and appropriate diet (eating often enough, the ‘right’ amount for your body, nutritious choices). 

Then, start small and with what you’re most drawn to, consider doing some of these:

Take a technology break – There are probably a few exceptions, but overall when you’re not feeling like yourself, it’s advisable to take a break (even if just for today) from technology – social media especially.  Likewise, take a break from non-urgent emails and other messaging.

Try things you enjoy or used to enjoy – Sometimes when you don’t feel like yourself, it can be helpful to do one of the [non-addictive] things you enjoy or used to enjoy.  If those things feel hard to access in your mind, thinking about what you enjoyed as a child may provide some other ideas.

Engage your sense of smell –  Smells can ‘transport’ us to another time and/or place, which means they can be a way to access good memories and therefore feelings.  Consider smells that are nostaligic or comforting (eg,  coffee, essential oils, soup, specific foods or establishments, smell of a loved one or pet).

Engage your sense of touch – petting your pet, a fluffy blanket or pillow, a fidget object, slime, stress ball, play doh, etc can help calm and center.  Weighted blankets can also be calming or grounding.

Get into nature – being in nature can be a way to engage several of your five senses at once and can sometimes help to better access present moment awareness.

Journal – free writing about anything that’s coming up for you at the time can help you slow your thoughts down and can sometimes lead to clarification of what’s contributing to you not feeling like yourself.

Ask for what you need – Did you discover anything in your journaling that can be turned into an action step?  Do you have any support people you can ask for what you might need, or brainstorm with about this?

Consider social time – sometimes being around other people can be fun, a distraction, and/or a comfort.  Teenagers often report to me that being around their friends is when they feel most like themselves.  Maybe the same is true for you?  Or you might be able to access those social feelings by going out into the community, talking to someone at the grocery store, trying something new that’s social and may put you in a space to meet others.

Self-Care overall – I  know, groan.  Sometimes self-care is taking something OFF your plate, not just saying yes to more things or needing to make the time to do more things.

…. and, finally,

This too shall pass – Try to have some self-compassion for yourself and curb the negative self-talk.  You won’t always feel like this, it’s been a tough day/week/month, there are people out there that love you, it’s OK to take breaks, this is not the end of your story. 

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WANT MORE?
I love seeing teens and adults in my psychotherapy practice!  If you are a California resident and would like to talk about working with me or to having me counsel your teen, please contact me, I’d love to hear from you. I have an office in Sacramento, an office in El Dorado Hills, and I also provide tele-health (video or phone appointments) through a secured platform.  In addition to talk therapy, I also am trained in and practicing EMDR for 15 years.  Find out more and contact me through my website at http://www.hopeintherapy.com or call or text my business cell at (916) 764-8360

Concerned about a friend or family member whom may need more intervention/ is going through something big?  You might like this entry from my blog archives:  (click here)

Want to learn more about feelings (especially anxiety)?  You might like this entry from my blog archives:  (click here)

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This blog is original content by Sue Goetz, LCSW and not created using any AI or chat GBT.