“Never be afraid to fall apart. It presents an opportunity to rebuild yourself the way you wish you had been all along” – Rae Smith.
Extremely fortunate and incredibly rare is a person who never stumbles in life. Life can often be monotonous with little fluctuation and many of us get used to that. But what really challenges us mentally, emotionally and physically, are the few times we hit those massive, dramatic roadblocks – be it health problems, financial hardships or the loss of a loved one.
These situations can make us feel dark, hopeless and stuck, like we’ve just hit rock bottom. But rest assured, it is possible to revive ourselves and rejoice once more as a brighter, better person. Here are some tips to help make that happen.
1. Let yourself feel
Too often we feel the urge to ‘distract ourselves’ or ‘get on with things’ when we are feeling low, but what we really need is to let emotions pass through us in order to process them effectively. Be it anger, frustration, grief or disappointment, it is important to be able to identify what we are feeling so we can let go of them. Once we release them, we can understand ourselves at a deeper level, and better deal with similar situations in the future.
2. Take the time to reflect
Indeed, the art to all change is reflection. Giving yourself the time to understand what the situation means to you, how it has affected you and if applicable, how you could have handled it better will help ease your mind and help lighten your heart. Lessons learnt during difficult times will be the strongest and longest lasting.
3. Have faith
Sometimes the simple act of having faith that good will follow the bad, is enough to ease distress. Believing in something bigger than us – whatever that may be – God, fate or destiny, will allow us to surrender the situation and work through it diligently.
4. Be self-compassionate
The only way we can learn to pick ourselves up is by loving ourselves. Use your downfall as an opportunity to nurture yourself with softness and care. Take baths, take strolls and explore the world. You will find that with time, you will have built the emotional capacity to uplift yourself no matter what the circumstance
5. Engage in creative outlet
Make art, write poetry and create music. Engaging in creativity helps channel negativity into light and transform destructive emotions into joy.
6. Spend time in nature
Spending time in nature helps us connect to purity and our true essence. Notice the beauty around you and realize it’s still there. Take a walk to a pool of water and nourish yourself in the sight, you’ll notice that you’ve instilled calmness inside you and have a clarity of thought that didn’t exist before.
7. Listen to Music
Much music is written from sincere passion and strong emotion. Listening to a variety of different music helps motivate us, stimulate our creativity, and connect across time and space with those who have been driven to create.
8. Try new things
Experiment with new hobbies, cultivate new interests and engage with new people. Read. A lot. Exposing yourself to different viewpoints will help you find yourself, and remember that every new thing you encounter has the difference to change your life.
9. Surround yourself with the right people
Spend time with people who uplift you. Words of encouragement and self-belief from trusted friends are important in times of difficulty. Temporarily avoid anyone who is negative or anybody who is emotionally entangled with your situation – this will prevent you from taking the break you need to process things and develop yourself.
10. Believe in miracles
Believe that amazing things happen. Believe that miracles are true. Break out of any internal monologue that tells you that things will never get better. Realise that the world is a fascinating place. Things can turn around quicker than you think, if you believe they can.
Featured photo credit: Viktor Hanaceck via picjumbo.com
