Life has constant ups and downs, we all know that. We all “kind of” expect that. But when we are going through a rough patch, it’s so easy to forget all of the good in the world. Even though life will never be a constant stream of butterflies and rainbows, it’s important to be in the present, understand the period you’re going through and create an action plan on how to climb out of the rut before it consumes you.
I don’t just have a passion to heal you nutritionally, but also emotionally and spiritually too. Why? Because you can have it ALL, and once you do, it’s that fantastic inner peace that nothing can compare to. So, how do you stay positive when life gets rough?
Target The Source Of The Sucking
As human beings, we like to categorize things. It’s sensical to lump all of our problems and frustrations into one, over-encompassing category of SUCK. You might even find yourself thinking, “My life just sucks all around” or, “Everything just sucks!”
Well, everything doesn’t just suck. It’s specific things that are not ideal in your life right now that are having a domino effect, in turn making other things appear like they suck too. So, sit down with a pen and paper and write down the top 3 or 5 things that are really sucking currently in your life. Be specific.
Example:
My job only pays $7.25 an hour, but my monthly bills require me to make atleast $10.00 an hour, so I am behind on bills every single month.
Summer is right around the corner and I really have stomach and arm fat that I need to get rid of before Susie’s pool party next month.
My house is always a mess and I can’t seem to get on top of the cleaning.
All of my friends moved out of the state.
I eat garbage when I want to eat healthy, and it in turn makes me feel like garbage.
Now when you write these things down, you realize that there are not 1,000 reasons why your life sucks. It’s really just a few that are dragging everything down. It’s important not to obsess about these things, but to keep them at your attention so you can work on them.
Create An Action Plan
Life is too hectic and too crazy to not have a plan. Take your world by the reigns and take control. Go back to your 3-5 sources of sucking. Write them down again, but this time draw a line and then on the other side of the line put ACTION PLAN. Write out an action plan for each issue. Start small but be specific on how you plan to achieve those goals.
Example: Each number will correspond to the list above.
I need to make an extra $120 a week to pay all of my bills on time. I can ask the neighbors if they need their grass cut this Summer or their plants watered while they’re away. I can do these things after work to make extra money.
I can’t afford to go to a gym right now, but I do have 30 minutes a day in the morning that I can walk or run around the neighborhood.
I can block out 20 minutes a day to straighten things up and create a chore list for my children.
I can stop turning down block parties and local events, go out of my comfort zone and try to meet new friends.
I can replace my morning donut with a banana and my evening ice cream with granola and yogurt.
Take Control
What does control mean to you? For me, control means owning my time and my emotions. For me, going for a run while blasting good music or motivational audio does it for me. It allows me to block everything out for that hour of time, gather my thoughts, align my goals and get ready for the day ahead.
I can’t tell you what taking control looks like for YOU, but I can give you some ideas on things that have worked for me.
Exercising: The best and cheapest therapy out there. You never know what you will discover about yourself, your friends and your life while out on an isolated run or walk. Exercising also releases serotonin in your brain, the “Feel Good” hormone.
Meditation: How many minutes a day do you usually take to clear your mind? 95% of people will say zero. You need to relax your brain, clear your thoughts and open up your mind to what’s ahead. Find a quiet place with no interruptions, and make that 20-30 minutes all about you. If you’re a beginner, get a guided meditation app that can help you focus.
Writing: Of course I love to write, but even if you don’t “love” it as much as I do, writing is still a powerful outlet to release emotions. How are you feeling? Write it down! You are transferring those thoughts from your body to your piece of paper. You don’t have to put them back. They can stay there!
Praying: No matter what your religion is, the truth is, that we can’t get a good grasp of this life without God. He should be the center of our world where everything else comes secondary. Lost your faith? Don’t let that define the days ahead. Get it back. God is waiting for you. He wants to guide you, love you and care for you. You just need to do the same back. Pick up where you left off, start talking, asking, wanting, wishing and glorifying God in the ways you know are true, genuine and faithful.
Reading: It is SO easy to get lost in the never-ending Facebook scroll in our down-time. Break the cycle. Scrolling social media and watching everyone else’s lives is not going to add value to yours. Pick up a book, whether it be a motivational one or just a comedy. Reading keeps your brain active, your thoughts isolated and your emotions in check.
Personal Development: You have to improve YOURSELF to improve YOUR LIFE. You come first! I personally think personal development is extremely important to the way we live each day, react to life’s events and keep our perspective in check. Right now I am reading The Miracle Morning📷 by Hal Elrod, and I can tell you that it has been a really powerful, motivational read. Check it out on Amazon📷.
Do Things That Make You Happy
Sometimes, if financial troubles are your main stressors, you might be saying, “What makes me happy costs too much money!”. Well, find other things that make you happy that don’t cost a lot of money, or use this as a way to budget your earnings with a week or month-end goal in mind.
I can rattle off 10 amazing things that make me happy right now that don’t cost any money. Playing with my children, going for a bike ride, walking on the beach, taking a hike, swimming, singing, writing, coloring, cooking, reading.
If finances aren’t an issue, plan events that make you happy! Surround yourself with positive friends that are going to lift you up, support you and be there for you emotionally. Go to a concert, a cooking class, a painting class. Find new hobbies. Find something you can be good at.
Envision Success
Whatever it is that is bothering you, remember that it’s only temporary. According to these steps, you have already done half the work. You have created an action plan that you are going to follow, you are going to hold yourself accountable to get out of your rut and you are going to do things that make you happy along the way.
Each day you wake up, look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself everything you love about yourself. It’s going to feel funny if you have never done it before. You will laugh, say it’s dumb and not even be able to look at your own self in the eyes! Just keep doing it, day after day.
What do you love about yourself? If you are down in the dumps, finding a bunch of things that make you great might not come so easy. But remember when you had really good days. Remember your last accomplishments. You achieved great things, and it was because of the type of person you are.
Close your eyes, envision what success looks like for you. Is it enjoying time with friends and family while not worrying about money? Is it being in the best shape of your life? Is it just being happy? Envision that in your head in great detail. Let it soak in, let the visions stay with you throughout the day. The more you envision and focus on success, the more likelihood you will achieve it. Keep the details sharp in your mind, because you’re going to be there one day.
In your zone, in your peaceful world, doing things you love to do and feeling how you love to feel. If I’m getting too hippie, I can assure you the post is now over anyway
What have you done recently to stay positive that has worked the best for you??
