If you think you are the only person in the world who feels like nothing works out in your favor despite your ridiculous efforts to get your life together, I promise you that is not the case. One of the (many) inevitable obstacles in growing up is going through your existential crisis. My whaaa? No, you won’t need antibiotics to solve it. Your existential crisis is that “who am I and what am I doing with my life” moment. It’s that moment when the one thing you thought defined your life — be it your long-term relationship, your parents' marriage or even your calculus class — has come to a traumatic end. Some call this college, but I think of it as a state of being. When you reach the point when, despite your best efforts, you fail and life gets the best of you, try these 10 tips:
1. Think about your end goal.
Where do you want to go, what do you want to do, and who do you want to be? That is the question you need to ask yourself. Is everything you are doing in your life working toward your end goal? Did those 12 Thursday shots really help with your Friday test? Did you really need that O-Chem class for your major? Did that snarky remark you made to the girl in your lecture class portray you as the person you are or want to be? If you find yourself seeing a discrepancy between your actions and your goals, it may be time to make a change.
2. Breathe.
In the midst of your semi-breakdown, take a few (hundred) deep breaths. It is so easy to get caught up in the stressful events of everyday struggles. So breathe. Remember that these small little actions are not large obstacles but are tiny little blips in your current state. Step out, do some deep breathing and return with a clear head and a better, more relaxed attitude.
3. Ask yourself, “Is it worth my anger?”
Similar to the above, life will not always go 100 percent how you planned it, and sadly, there is not a thing you can do about it. So before you let the unplanned events of your day turn your happiness into unhappiness, ask yourself, “In comparison to all the things that could go wrong in my life, is this worth my anger?” Sometimes you have to tell yourself how stupid you are being. Shit happens and the world keeps on turning, and so should you. Don’t let the petty things have a detrimental effect on you. Yell a few curse words in your head and say “Bye Felicia” to the things that simply aren’t worth your anger.
4. Look at your point of view on your life.
Sometimes, when you find yourself on the constant warpath and you're consistently one bad look away from a heart attack, it’s not the people around you (despite how incompetent you think they are) or the vendetta you swear the universe has for you — it’s you. It’s the bad attitude you have for everything surrounding you. So pull those panties out of your crack and lighten up. Things can’t be half as bad as you think they are. Take a hint from above and change your outlook. You may find, if you give your attitude a makeover, your life will follow.
5. Think about your life holistically.
It’s not a bad life, it’s just a bad day. I am the leader of crappy hands and bad timing, but as a whole, I love my crazy and beautiful life. I may not always have a smile on my face, but I always know that better days will come. With that mindset, I know the worst will pass. Think back on all the great things life has blessed you with. If you can’t think of anything, take your index and middle finger on your right hand and hold it to your left wrist. Feel that? It’s your pulse. It means you are alive, and it means your life has a purpose and matters. While you may not feel like it, life gets brighter eventually. You just have to wait for the rain to pass.
6. Remember, the events of your past and future do not define your personality.
Don’t be embarrassed or ashamed when you feel (and probably look) scattered and chaotic. Believe it or not, everyone has “off days.” You just have to remember that your mistakes and your less than stellar moments do not define your character. Days like that just require a little extra makeup and a lot more coffee.
