Bouncing Back from Difficult Situations: Practical First Steps

Life is like a roller coaster – some days you celebrate good times, and then you go through a phase where your whole world starts to look upside down. In the latter case, people often feel overwhelmed – they begin to lose confidence and begin to question their life choices. Losing a job, ending a close relationship, the demise of a closed one, and many other challenging life situations seem to test a person’s emotional grit. Those times when you feel the least motivated, are precisely the times your ability to inspire yourself are put to the test.

We gathered some of the most effective ways to get yourself motivated when things in your surroundings are testing your patience and mettle. If you’ve had enough of sulking and feeling like a victim, here is what you should do to get back on track:

Create a List of Your Goals

First things first – it’s always wise to pen down your goals. Seeing the written will give you the push to step out of your comfort zone and perform. Always write positive and practical objectives in your journal and track your progress each week or once a month. Write down a few big, inspiring goals, and then break them down to baby steps. When your aspirations are clear, it’s easier to work toward them. And when you pursue inspiring goals and see the progress you’re making –  it will help eliminate feelings of self-doubt and shame.

Commit Publicly

A lesser-known but significant step you can take to feel motivated is to make your goals public. Let your family, friends, and co-workers know what you are up to. Share your plans, ask for suggestions, and keep feeding your focus until you feel inspired and capable.

Go for a Walk in Nature

That’s a beautiful way to kickstart a day and feel awake and alive. Find some ‘me time’ – take a walk in the woods or near a lake and let the thoughts flow. Do not overthink, in fact, try not to think at all. Just feel the breeze on your face and savor the smell of blooms around. This will help you connect to yourself and be more clear about your needs and desires. With that newfound sense connectedness, you are bound to feel more inspired and motivated to take constructive actions and pursue your dreams.

Stick With Your Plan

Don’t act dicey and do not give up. When your down, it’s common to feel hopeless and as if your goals are unobtainable. It is vital to remember not to believe those deceiving thoughts, and to stick to your plan. Think of your goal as a journey to remember – there might be tricky paths and rocky terrains, but the destination will be beautiful. Sometimes we have to push ourselves and do things just because we decided to do them in the past. Trust the person you were when you made those plans: when you are feeling down, you are less aware of your own abilities. Do what you promised yourself and see how good you feel afterward!

Spend Time With People Who Motivate You

Positivity and enthusiasm spread like wildfire. There are all kinds of people around us. Some might instantly lift our mood while others dampen it. The key to staying motivated is to be around people who are optimistic, positive, and full of enthusiasm. When people around you are enthusiastic about their lives and goals, it’s almost impossible not to be affected by this energy.

Meditate

No, meditation is not only for the monks! Although we put great thought in resting our body, we give little thought to relax our mind. If your head is full of disturbing thoughts, it is next to impossible to go about your daily chores, let alone focus on your goals. But one doesn’t need to climb up a hill or find a quiet place in the middle of the forest to meditate. Meditating for ten minutes wherever you are is enough to heal your mind and help regain your focus. Besides sustaining your attention, meditation can also help you in elevating your mood, leaving you feeling refreshed and motivated.

Turn up the Music

Listening to music is one of the most effective ways to stay motivated. Music works to re-energize our senses and help us focus more attentively. It was found out that listening to music draws our attention from negativity and pumps us up with positive thoughts. So listen to some good music and stay inspired!

If you’re feeling down lately, try to take at least one of the suggestions mentioned above, and start working with it today. Don’t wait for motivation to emerge miraculously – you can create it yourself!