If you are currently struggling, as we all are from time to time, keep reading.
Don't throw in the towel just yet. I know, I know...it's hard. You feel like you've given your all and it is still not good enough. You aren't seeing the results you want and you wonder if the fight is even worth it.
It is.
Faith is a concept I love, but I often struggle with it when it comes to my own life. Oh you can relate? Yes, I thought you could.
So as I sit here contemplating all of my reasons to give up, I think of you. I think to myself, what would I tell you, if you were contemplating the same thing.
Since giving up is not an option, here are 10 things you can do instead of walking away when things look bleak. None of these are groundbreaking or new, but it's good to be reminded.
1. Pray- Overly simple. Prayer I have found, can bring you back from the brink of despair. It can help you to find peace where before there wasn't any.
2. Meditate- Meditating or even just sitting quietly helps you to see and hear things you couldn't when you were fretting.
3. Journal- Writing down what you are feeling is a great way to get clear. Write it down and get it out without censoring yourself.
4. Be Grateful- Whenever I feel like everything is going wrong, and all hope is lost, if I say even one thing that I'm grateful for aloud, I notice that my attitude begins to shift for the better. Try it.
5. Run- Ok you don't have to jump up and run a six minute mile, but moving helps you to stay sane. Sometimes just sitting and thinking negative thoughts robs you of all of your energy.
If you get up and do even one active thing like unloading the dishwasher, or taking out the trash, or doing a workout dvd, it helps to elevate your mood.
6. Find a friend- Sometimes you can feel like you don't have anyone to talk to. A friend can be anything, from your higher power to a pet. Find a friend and lean on that friend when you are having a tough time.
7. Look to your list- When you are in a good mood, come up with a list of things you can do if ever a sad, stressful, frustrated, or angry mood comes on. Then when the mood does come, use the list.
8. Read or Listen- A lot of mood elevation can come from reading something positive or listening to it. Just seeing positive words can help you to feel more positive.
9. Work- Your problems aren't just going to solve themselves, you must do the work. In what areas can you improve? Work on those. Anything worth having, takes work including peace of mind.
10. Enjoy the good times- It is important to live in the moment and be excited about the good times. When things are going well, revel in it. Store up the memory for a down day-- which is sure to come around again-- and perhaps it will help you to remember that tough times don't last.
The lotus is one of my favorite flowers because it grows up through mud and blooms in the sunlight. I hope that you too will be able to rise above the muddy areas in your life and bloom in the sunlight.
