When You Feel Like Crap

I recently experienced a few days long stretch where I felt like crap. Physically, I felt tired and heavy and lethargic. Mentally, I wasn't on my A-game. I didn't really want to be nice to people or even associate with them. It was like I'd woken up on the proverbial wrong side of the bed too many days in a row. When I woke up that Sunday morning, I really didn't want to do anything, but I felt convicted that I needed to take care of myself and try to keep going. How do I take care of myself when I feel like crap? For me, it often looks like living out my dad's adage, "Do the next right thing."

1) I make sure to read my Bible and get in my devotional time. It's possible that I feel like crap because I'm disconnected from God, or I am experiencing spiritual attack. In either case, I need to make sure I'm filling my mind with TRUTH and connecting to Holy Spirit power.

2) Eat good food. It's really tempting to either eat junk food or not eat when I feel yucky, especially physically. But eating junk or not eating isn't going to make me feel better. So I keep finding things that I can stomach. For me, that often looks like plain oatmeal, protein shakes, eggs, and fresh produce. Simple carbohydrates and proteins help recovery from lots of ailments. Fruits and veggies are full of good vitamins.

3) Rest. Sometimes the last thing I want to do when I feel crappy is rest. I'd rather do a bunch of stuff to distract myself, or try to do something that will make me feel worthwhile and valuable. But that's not really a good plan. So I sit on the floor and read or crochet or nap. A lot of the time, I do both.

4) Maintain perspective. This too shall pass, so I try to focus on getting through the day and not dwelling on the downs of it. Often, I spend a few minutes writing a list in my journal of what's going right.

5) Talk to a few people. Not everybody needs to know I'm struggling, but talking to family and close friends about how I feel helps. It also lets them know that if (or unfortunately when) I snap, it's not about them.

This is how I cope when I feel like crap, but what do you do? Please post your "next right thing" in the comments section below.