Try to consciously do positive things that make you feel better, especially if you’re sad or grieving.

Our emotions are much like a seesaw – they drop or rise, and when your head is trapped in a fuzzy haze, it can be hard to focus on much at all. During times like this it can be helpful to jot down a few things which you like doing: a simple list that you can easily refer to.

It could be that you go for a walk or pop on some music. It’s about trying to re-balance your emotions, and nothing else.

For me, it’s my writing. I find it extremely relaxing, and you could simply write down how you are feeling to help clear your mind.

When you engage in these activities, it helps to restore balance within your head. It’s the same as eating a varied diet. It helps to replenish your energy, though pursuits should not tax your mind: make gentle choices, as opposed to trying to reach for the stars, because unrealistic activities which become unaccomplished will only damage your sense of worth. When you pick easy to attain activities, even if it’s just relaxing in the garden for an hour whilst you contemplate the world, it restores the equilibrium within you.

Similarly, a happier state of mind influences all the people around you, and subconsciously, we are like mirrors.

I was feeling particularly depressed recently due to the sudden passing of a friend. I didn’t feel like doing much at all that day, but had to whip to the shop. A complete stranger unwittingly made me feel warm inside: purely because they smiled at me with their eyes.