Sinking into life’s catastrophes is much more tempting that trying to find a solution to them. However, there are simple ways to alter your perspective and improve the hardships that everyone faces.
1. Don’t wallow in your misery.
Pity parties don’t help anything. Moping around corrupts your mindset and won’t improve the situation in any sense. Find something to do to distract you from your thoughts because anything is better than over-thinking problems.
2. Let it out to a loved one, but simultaneously absorb their advice.
It’s understandable that when bad things happen you need to go to someone to get it off of your chest. And, since therapists are expensive, it’s OK to let it out to those rare, trusted people who genuinely care about your well-being/sanity. However, listen to their words and be optimistic about the advice that they give you. If you immediately shoot helpful suggestions down and remain negative, this will only put both you and your listener in a more difficult position.
3. Write.
It doesn’t even need to be legible, cohesive, or a real language. Putting whatever toxic thoughts floating around your mind down on paper relieves some of the weight of the issue you are going through. Once you start, you’d be surprised at the length and content of your writing. Once you’ve sufficiently made your hand ache, you can tear your scrawl to shreds if you don’t want anyone to find and read it. (Bonus: This will additionally reduce frustration).
4. Scream.
Into a pillow, driving in your car, in public during broad daylight (if you don’t mind concerned/frightened stares from strangers).
5. Listen to heavy metal/rap.
Hey, these people can resonate with your frustrations! Listening to people scream and shout into a microphone makes you feel like you’re not alone with these messy emotions. One of the worst feelings is being around happy people when your life is seemingly crumbling apart, so don’t be! Put your earphones in and turn the sound up.
6. Run.
Or sprint until you can’t breathe! Exercising releases endorphins, which are the chemicals in your brain that are responsible for the reduction of pain. If you’re in emotional pain, this is your body’s natural painkiller.
7. Take a nap.
If your mind is spinning like a mouse on a wheel, it’s bound to drain you and tire you out. Just taking a break from the world and your thoughts can suppress your frustrations and temporarily remove the problem and allow you to rest. Go into the nap with the mindset of waking up refreshed and ready overcome and move on from the issue.
8. Read.
Engulfing yourself in reading forces you to take your mind off of whatever is bothering you and focus on the beautiful plot, words and characters laid out in front of you.
9. If it’s out of your control, let it go. If you can solve the problem, fix it.
Some things that are thrown at you are out of your hands. This is when you release your clenched fists and accept the painful fact that this is reality and sometimes life is difficult and there is nothing you can do to change that. However, you can realize that the issues you are facing now are forcing you to grow in ways you never could without them. It’s as if you’re sitting in a classroom and life is the professor. The lesson is challenging, but you’ll walk out with more wisdom than you entered with. If there’s a way to better the situation, then what are you waiting for? Go take action.
10. Remember that things always get better.
This is my least favorite thing to hear when it seems as if the universe is squishing me, but it’s true. If you are experiencing rock bottom, the only way out is up. Some of the most valuable, beautiful moments of your life are yet to happen, so you better stick around to watch.
