Are You in Your Sad Girl Era?

Introduction: Welcome to the Sad Girl Era, Population: You

This era is for the girls who listen to Phoebe Bridgers at midnight like it’s their full-time job, for the ones who find themselves eating ice cream straight from the tub with a spoon (and then finish the tub – been there, done that), and for those who emotionally spiral because someone didn’t text back within a socially acceptable time frame (even if that someone is just Domino’s Pizza).

Here’s the thing: being sad doesn’t mean you’re weak, broken, or any less of a bad b*tch. It means you’re human. And sometimes, we humans hit a slump. The question is: how do you recognize that you’ve entered the Sad Girl Era, and not something more serious like depression, and how the heck do you work your way out?

Step 1: Spotting the Signs That You’re Deep in Your Sad Girl Era

1. You’ve Started Romanticizing Melancholy
Your Pinterest board is now called “soft girl blues” and features aesthetic images of rainy windows, half-empty cups of tea, and handwritten poetry that starts with “nobody understands me.” You caption your selfies with lines like, “Not sad, just reflective.” (Girl, you’re sad. And it’s okay!)

2. Your Playlist Sounds Like a Cry for Help
If your most-played artists include Lana Del Rey, Mitski, or Bon Iver, you might be in trouble. If you’ve ever thought, “Let me just put on this eight-minute acoustic track to cry properly,” then sister, your Sad Girl Era is alive and well. Bonus points if you call your sad music taste a “curated playlist.”

3. Pyjamas Are Now Daywear
You used to love cute outfits – matching sets, statement pieces, that blazer that made you look like you had your life together. But now? It’s sweatpants. All day, every day. If you’ve started referring to your nice sweatpants as your “going out clothes,” you’re in deep.

4. You’re Crying Over Niche Things
You didn’t cry when your ex moved on, but you sobbed when the waitress forgot your extra ranch. You’ve mourned fictional characters like they were your childhood friends. If an ad with a puppy and a soulful voiceover reduces you to tears, it’s time for a reality check.

5. Everything Feels Overwhelming
Laundry? Too much. Cooking? ABsoLutEly not. Replying to a “What’s up?” text? You just caaan’t. The idea of doing anything leaves you feeling like you need a three-hour nap to recover. Even easy tasks start to feel like you’re climbing Mount Everest in Crocs.

If you’re feeling like this for more than a few months, perhaps see a professional so they can help you through what you’re experiencing.

Step 2: Why Do We Get Stuck in Our Sad Girl Era?

Let’s get real: being sad sometimes feels…weirdly cathartic. It’s like sitting in your favourite, lumpy chair. Sure, it’s not great, but at least you know how it feels. And there’s something kind of soothing about throwing yourself a pity party where you’re both the guest of honour and the one supplying the snacks.

Sadness happens for a million reasons:

• Burnout. Life can feel like a constant treadmill, and you’re one To-Do list away from throwing it all in the trash.
• Heartbreak. Whether it’s romantic, friendship-based, or even just a disappointment, it stings, because we get attached to people and outcomes (real or wished for).
• Uncertainty. Not knowing your next move in life makes the couch and a blanket seem like the safest bet.
• Hormones. Oh, shout-out to the hormones for making us cry because Target ran out of our favourite cereal.

But here’s the truth: while it’s okay to be sad (it’s part of the human experience), staying stuck there isn’t doing you any favours. Let’s start figuring out how to walk out of the Sad Girl Era without losing our main character energy.

Step 3: Step-by-Step Survival Guide to Work Through Your Sad Girl Feelings

1. Feel Your Feelings (But Set a Timer)
Yes, you need to feel your sadness to move through it. if you were trying to find a route around that step, sorry. I mean you technically could avoid feeling your feelings, but you gotta understand something. You can’t shove feelings under the rug and pretend they don’t exist (spoiler: they’ll come back with a vengeance usually in some sort of physical pain in your body). So, cry it out. Write a dramatic journal entry. Have a “nobody understands me” moment. But here’s the rule: put a time limit on it. Give yourself an hour (or even a day) to wallow, then make a plan to move forward. Sadness can visit – it just doesn’t get to move in.

2. Take a Shower. Seriously.
This is the oldest trick in the Sad Girl book: take a dang shower. There’s something about washing your hair, shaving your legs, and putting on clean clothes that feels like hitting the reset button. You don’t need to have your life together, but at least your body will smell like lavender and not stale tears.

3. Break Tasks Into Teeny, Tiny Chunks
When you’re sad, even doing one thing feels impossibly exhausting. So break everything down into bite-sized, toddler-level tasks. Instead of “clean your whole room,” make your goal: “Put five pieces of trash in the bin.” Celebrate that. Progress is progress.

4. Move Your Body, Even When You Don’t Want To
I know, I know – you don’t want to. But trust me. Put on a pair of leggings, play a stupidly upbeat song, and dance around your kitchen like an uncoordinated maniac. Movement shakes the blues out of your body. And no, you don’t have to become a gym rat – just start with a 10-minute walk — even if that walk is to the grocery store to pick up cake. Your brain will thank you.

5. Swap the Sad Playlist for Something Chaotic
Stop feeding your sadness. Yes, sad music hits, but it also keeps you spiralling. Switch things up with something aggressively fun: ABBA, Megan Thee Stallion, early 2000s pop. You need “I’m dancing in my living room like nobody’s watching” vibes – not “staring into the void” energy.

6. Start Romanticizing the Little Wins
If you can romanticize sadness, you can romanticize joy. Did you finally wash your dishes? Pretend you’re the lead in a movie about a woman rebuilding her life. Made yourself a cup of tea? Light a candle, put on a cozy sweater, and declare it a “healing moment.” Life’s little victories matter.

7. Call Your Best Friend and Be Honest
Text your friend: “I’m in my Sad Girl Era, SOS.” Then talk. There’s something magical about saying your feelings out loud instead of letting them fester in your head. Your friends can’t fix your problems, but they can remind you you’re not alone.

8. Do One Thing That Used to Make You Happy
Maybe it’s painting. Maybe it’s baking cookies. Maybe it’s going on a drive with no destination. Even if you don’t feel like doing it, give it a shot. Sometimes joy sneaks up on you when you’re busy doing something else.