⏰ Summer blahs

Plus advice for feeling lonely and Ariana Grande.

View this email in your browser WEEKLY WIND DOWN 💪 Try this: Have you been feeling down for a long stretch of time? Notice when you seem a tiny bit better (you don't even need to feel good—just not as bad). Make a mental or literal note so that when you're back to the major blahs, you'll have proof that better moments are coming. Think on this: What's stopping you from believing all the positive things people say about you? Remember this: You're not a bad person for feeling pissed off. Read this: Am I Allowed to Tell My Partner to Go to Therapy? ICYMI 👀 Here's what it really means to check in with yourself Why Ariana Grande thinks there should be therapists on set There's a new viral sleep hack that people swear by How you can be there for young trans people right now Yup, therapy and weight loss are a tricky combo  TGI-EFF THAT THERAPY HACK 💡 If you're feeling hopeless, try this thought exercise. Life is filled with ups and downs but sometimes it can feel like we're stuck in a down period for way too long. Nothing seems to go right, and everything is extra hard. It's easy (and honestly normal) to feel totally hopeless in these moments, but by focusing on things we've overcome in the past we can help remind ourselves that this crappy phase won't last forever. "When we focus on our past success we can embrace our strength and realize that we have more resilience than we know," explains psychologist Ryan Howes, PhD. Try it: Next time you feel like something will never get better, pull out a journal and think back to the biggest challenges in your life (such as problems in your childhood, relationship difficulties, challenges at school or work, health issues, etc.). "Write down the major conflicts in your life and clarify how you responded to each of them," suggests Dr. Howes. Ask yourself: What was your initial reaction? What did you end up doing to get through it? Are you proud of how you handled it? "Seeing that we have endured hardship in our past helps us know we can do it again," says Dr. Howes. Were you forwarded this email? Click here to subscribe for free. LET'S DISCUSS 💬 9 People Who Aren't Lonely Share Their Secret  By Ashley Oerman It's 2024 and we're all well aware that there's a new epidemic called loneliness in town. Maybe you're quite familiar or maybe you're new to this uncomfortable state of being. Either way, that I'm-feeling-lonely type of feel sucks.  But it turns out there are some people out there who are completely unaffected by this emotional plague. They are: the un-lonely. To those of us who've ever been seriously disturbed by a lack of plans on a Saturday evening, this may be shocking news. And yet, it is truth.  So, how does one gain un-lonely status? Well, psychotherapist John Tsilimparis, MFT, says the biggest thing to not feel lonely comes down to one's comfortability with loneliness and alone time. The more chill you feel about being literally by yourself or feeling lonely, the less power it has over you.  How you feel about loneliness could be tied to your attachment style, says Tsilimparis, which is a psychological explanation for how our early bonds impact how we show up in relationships in the future. But it also might not be that deep for everyone! You might have a strong aversion to being alone for all types of reasons—like that society and sitcoms make it seem like you have to be surrounded by your friend group all the time or because you're avoiding stuff that's harder to ignore when you're on your own.  The secret to feeling less lonely is shifting your mindset from, "I'm alone and hating it," to "I'm alone and not hating it." Tsilimparis says this works because you're retraining your brain to be OK with alone time and OK with yourself in general. "You're flipping the script on the old narrative, then it gives you control," he explains.  The goal is to find the beauty in being alone instead of rejecting it. With that in mind, we asked people who describe themselves as un-lonely for their tips. Maybe not surprisingly, all of their advice centers around accepting themselves, their relationships, and alone time in general. Steal some for yourself.  1. Accept aloneness as part of life. "I was taught as a kid that life is full of situations where we have to go things alone. It happens to everyone. But being alone doesn't mean you're isolated or without support from others. It's just a chance to go inward, reflect, and communicate with yourself." —Millicent F., 30 Keep reading for 11 more tips for feeling less lonely.   READ MORE ON THAT NOTE 13 Therapist-Approved Tips for When You're Feeling Lonely How to Be Better at Being Alone READ MORE READ MORE 13 Therapist-Approved Tips for When You're Feeling Lonely READ MORE How to Be Better at Being Alone READ MORE 🎧 What we're listening to: So lost in my head. NEED HELP NOW? These resources can help. SAMHSA National Helpline Suicide Prevention Lifeline The Trevor Project Trans Lifeline Advertise With Us PR Inquiries Want to unsubscribe? Click here to take a break.   Copyright © 2022 Wondermind. All rights reserved.   228 Park Avenue South, Suite 26327, New York, NY 10003   All products featured on Wondermind are independently selected by our editors. 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