Sometimes life can feel really tough. You might feel bogged down with work, family or studying; you might feel a general sense of unease; or it might be something completely different. Whatever it is that is making you feel like you are not living your best life, don’t panic. There are always things you can do to make your life better. The first step is simply to acknowledge that you are not completely happy with the way things are. Once you have allowed yourself the relief of recognizing that something needs to change, all you have to do is go ahead and make the change.
Your life is not going to magically improve overnight. You need to take an active role in the process. Here are seven things you can do to steer your life on to the right course and feel better overall.
Plan Your Life by Planning Day the Day Before
One of the biggest dampeners on our mood is stress – especially when we wake up in the morning and realize we have a million things to do that day. Spend ten minutes in the evening before bed planning what you are going to do tomorrow. You can write it down or keep it in your head – whichever suits you best. This allows your subconscious to start working while you sleep and you to wake up with a plan.
Understand You Are Not Entitled to Anything
This sounds harsh but it is true. The universe doesn’t owe you anything so if you want to achieve something you need to go out and do it yourself. When you truly understand this, you will become happier and more successful.
Actively Repress Negative Thinking
It can be easy to spiral into sadness and negativity when you are going through a rough patch, such as a break up or losing your job. You need to actively stamp this out. When the bad thoughts start to creep in, go to the gym, watch your favourite TV show or meditate. All of these things will draw your attention away from your negative thoughts and re-focus them on something positive.
Create a Routine
Routines give us a feeling of control over our life. Try to wake up and go to sleep at the same time every day, and have weekly classes or events planned that you always go to. If you stick to this routine you will feel more comfortable and capable of concentrating your energy on other things.
Stay Present
This is a hard one, but if you can conquer it, you will feel a lot better. The aim is to keep your mind focussed on what is going on right now. By doing this you keep the incessant chatter in your mind at bay and you can enjoy a moment of peace. When you feel your attention drifting, make a conscious effort to come back to the present.
Volunteer
It is well documented that people feel happier when they are doing something for someone else. Find a local group with a worthy cause and volunteer your time there. Even doing this just once a month can make you feel infinitely better about yourself and help you get out of your own head. If you don’t have time to volunteer then a random act of kindness will suffice.
Remind Yourself That Your Feelings Are Normal
It can be so easy to label ourselves as crazy or broken every time we have a bad day, week, month etc. but doing this is seriously harmful. Everyone has emotions and everyone gets sad sometimes, it’s part of being human. Chastising yourself for being sad will only make you feel worse. Let yourself feel, but don’t over-indulge. Think: “ok I feel sad right now but I won’t forever” and try to move on.
