For many people, Sunday can be a rough day. This is especially true if you have been through a loss. Here are 5 ways to make your Sunday go a little easier.
1. Have a schedule.
Part of having the Sunday blues is that it’s one of the days of the week that doesn’t really have any structure. You just kind of free-float through Sunday. Make yourself a schedule the day before. Schedule your entire day – from the time you get up until when you go to bed. This includes scheduling exercise and meals, two things that can fall to the wayside when you aren’t feeling well.
2. Get moving.
Get outside and exercise. If it’s too cold, exercise anyway. Studies have shown that exercise raises the amount of the brain chemical dopamine. Increased dopamine can help improve your mood. If the word “exercise” is a turn-off for you, keep in mind that any activity, even going for a short walk, counts as exercise.
3. Be around people.
If you are feeling lousy, interacting with people may be the last thing you want to do. However, even just being around other people can help your mood. Attend your place of worship, community gathering, or any other location where you will be around people. Interacting is optional, but it will help you feel better.
4. Volunteer your time.
Find a cause you are interested, and give your time and energy. There are organizations that operate on Sundays that could use your help, especially now due to budget cuts. By giving back to something that is larger than yourself, you are doing both that organization and you a favor.
5. Let yourself feel.
When you are grieving, you go through a dizzying blur of emotions. You may feel sadness, relief, anger, and denial all through the course of a day. Just roll with it. Stop yourself from judging what feelings you should or shouldn’t have, and just feel them.
A book I recommend is “How to Survive the Loss of a Love” by Colgrove, Bloomfield, and McWilliams. This book is helpful to anyone experiencing grief.
