Unfortunately, sadness is just a very natural part of life. Although many people might feel like being sad is uncomfortable, it’s perfectly natural. Sadness is an emotional reaction to an unfortunate event that might take place in your life. But do you know how to make someone feel better or make someone smile?
There’s nothing weird or strange about getting sad over something. Heck, you might even be good at dealing with your sadness at this point. If you know yourself well, then it’s not a big deal for you to be sad about anything. You already know how to deal with that sorrow and those uncomfortable emotions.
It’s another thing entirely when sadness strikes someone you care deeply about. At the end of the day, even when you know another person well, you wouldn’t be able to tell what kind of challenges or troubles they are facing on their end. This is why you might feel completely helpless whenever you see someone you care about dealing with bouts of sadness. You want to help them through it but you don’t know-how. You fear that you might end up doing a lot more harm than good. There is always a proper way of helping the people you love to deal with their grief.
Helping Someone Feel Better or smile
When someone you care about is all down in the dumps, you can’t just recklessly approach them with the intention of solving all of their problems on their behalf. Sure, you might just do whatever you can in your capacity to help them feel better about themselves.
But it can be very dangerous when you don’t know what you’re doing. This is what this article is going to try to help you out with. You need to be oriented in how you can approach someone you care about when they are feeling sad or depressed about something.
The one thing that you have to remember is that there is no such thing as a cookie-cutter solution to solving this problem. Many different scenarios could induce sadness in a person. Also, every one of us deals with sadness in very different ways.
Just because a particular method works for you doesn’t mean that it’s going to work for everyone. This is why you have to practice your own best judgment in assessing the situation and making sure that you’re employing the best solution available. So, as you are going through the many ideas that are listed here, just remember that not all of them apply to every situation.
At the end of the day, your good intentions are not good enough. You also have to make sure that you know what you are doing. Otherwise, you might be endangering your relationship with this person by doing something reckless.
Here are a few ways to Make Someone Smile / Feel Better
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1. Ask Them if They Need Your Help
The very first thing that you need to do is ask them if they need your help, to begin with. Keep in mind that there are some people out there who would prefer to deal with their grief on their own. They would not want other people to involve themselves in their narratives. Some people wouldn’t be so welcome to your interference. Be sensitive towards these people. Understand that they want to deal with grief in their ways. Let them do so.
2. Listen to Them Without Talking
In this world, some too many people just talk without listening. That is why there is a lot of misunderstanding and miscommunication in life. In this case, since you are not the one who is suffering, you shouldn’t take it upon yourself to do most of the talking. Instead, just be an active listener. Allow your friend or loved one to say what’s in their heart. Don’t try to offer any words of advice or encouragement just yet. Let them talk without interrupting.
3. Share a Hug
A hug is one of the most powerful forms of physical intimacy out there. Keep in mind that intimacy doesn’t always have to be so romantic or sensual. You can be intimate with someone you are not romantically entwined with. There are some people ho feel love the most through physical gestures like hugs. If you know someone like this, then don’t be afraid to offer a hug as a form of consolation for them during a trying time.
4. Write a Note or Card
There’s something so charming about receiving a handwritten note in this day and age. Everyone is going digital. For the most part, people communicate through phones or laptops and other such devices. This is why the handwritten note is something of a lost commodity in communication these days. Let them know how special they are to you by writing a note for them that comes from the heart. Express your concern and solidarity over their feelings.
5. Go to the Gym Together
Sometimes, one of the most effective ways to combat sadness would be to just do some form of exercise or physical activity. This could mean going to the gym or attending a yoga class together. Whatever the case, sweat it out. For one, you are always going to be proud of yourself after going through a workout. Also, by exercising, you are triggering the release of endorphins in your brain. This is a happy hormone that can help combat the sadness that your loved one is going through.
6. Take a Walk Outside
Sometimes, strenuous physical activities like jogging or lifting weights aren’t for everyone. When that’s the case, try going for a walk outside instead. Even just experiencing the great outdoors and getting a healthy heaping of fresh air can do wonders for a person’s mood. You can opt to talk to one another while on the walk, but it’s also okay to just walk in silence with your thoughts. Whatever the case, a nice long walk can do wonders.
7. See a Funny Movie Together
Art can be a big help in dealing with certain feelings or emotions. These days, modern forms of art can be found in movies, paintings, music, dances, and whatnot. So, try to immerse yourself in these forms of art. It can be as simple as watching a funny movie together to laugh things out. However, you can also visit art galleries or listen to upbeat music that makes you feel good. Do whatever will fill your loved one’s heart with a lot of joy and energy.
8. Cook a Meal for Them or Take Them Out
Food is always going to be one of the greatest equalizers. You have a variety of options here. One, you can try to cook a meal for them just to let them know that you care. You can also opt to take them out if you’re not particularly skilled at cooking. If all else fails, you can always just walk to the nearest store that sells ice cream. Ice cream always works when trying to combat the blues.
9. Go Shopping Together
Some people turn to retail therapy as a means of coping with sadness. Of course, it’s important to preface this by saying that you need to practice fiscal responsibility at all times. You don’t want to go into debt trying to combat your sadness. With that said, if you have a little extra money to spare, it’s okay to spend it at the mall by buying things that will bring you some temporary sense of relief or happiness.
10. Have a Nice Day at the Spa Together
What can be more relaxing than going to the spa for a nice day of rejuvenation and recovery? You can bring your friend or loved one along with you to get a nice massage so that they can just relax. Have all of that stress and tension taken out of your bodies. Again, this can be a very costly experience. So, if you’re on a tight budget, offer to give your loved one a massage instead. There are a lot of tutorials on YouTube on how you can give effective massages within the comforts of your own home.
11. Do Some Gardening or Home Remodeling
Sometimes, one of the best ways to combat sadness is by working on some kind of difficult project. This challenge can serve as a great distraction to the heavy-handed nature of these weighted feelings. Partake in some kind of home remodeling or gardening project. This way, the two of you get to bond over something as you tackle a challenge together. Also, you are helping take their mind off of whatever is bothering them. You’re also being productive while building your skillset at the same time. It’s hitting a lot of birds with one stone.
12. Bake Something Together
Similar to the previous tip on this list, you can also try to bake something together. Some of the common culprits involve cookies, brownies, cakes, and pies. You can try to get creative with what you’re doing. At the end of the day, you are providing yourselves with a great distraction while bonding as loved ones. And then, you get to reward yourselves with a sweet treat that you made with your own hands. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved.
13. Go for a Trip or Getaway
Be very careful with this tip as it can get very costly. “If you’ve got some loose change to spare, then go ahead and book a trip to a far-off place. A vacation can do wonders for helping a person get over sadness. It takes them away from the familiar and immerses them in a new culture and experience. However, if you don’t have the budget for a lavish trip, even just a weekend getaway to a nearby beach or campsite can help as well. It doesn’t have to be anything too grand.
14. Do Errands Together
Productivity is the name of the game. Sometimes, when someone is sad, they cease to be productive. And their lack of productivity just ends up feeding into their sadness even further. It’s a vicious cycle. So, to prevent your loved one from falling into such a cycle, try helping them do their errands. This way, they get to feel like they are being productive.
15. Go on a Netflix Binge with Lots of Junk Food
Lastly, you can never go wrong with just sitting on the couch with a tray full of junk food and a prime Netflix account. You have access to a vast library of TV shows and movies that you can just indulge in all day long. Therapy doesn’t always have to be so expensive after all.
Conclusion
Truthfully, we all deal with grief in our own unique and different ways. There is no one way in which everyone can just instantly feel better. Happiness is not something that is achieved or acquired on demand. Sometimes, it can take some time before someone can feel happy again after dealing with an unfortunate event or a tragedy. The best that you can do is just be there for them. Let them know that they’re not alone and that you are accompanying them throughout the entire process. That can do wonders in helping a person heal and feel better about themselves.
In life, there is going to be a lot of grief and suffering. That goes without saying. But just because there’s grief doesn’t mean that life has to be so terrible. Life can be very beautiful. You just have to learn to balance all of the negative out with a lot of the positive. Hopefully, with all of the tips that have been highlighted here, you can serve as a positive force for good in the lives of the people around you.
