Often times we find ourselves 'stuck' in the daily struggles of our every day lives. Things tend to fall into a mundane routine: sleep, work, eat, work, sleep, work, eat- you get the picture. Waking up tends to become more of a struggle and we find ourselves dragging our bums to work. Now if you don't fall into this category and you absolutely love your life, job, friends and family, then I salute you. It's more difficult to see the good in life then it is to see the bad.
Let me start things off by saying it's totally normal to feel bad about your life, about where you are and how your career is going. It's totally normal to feel burned out, tired, lost, confused and messed up. It's normal. No one, no matter how perfect their life may seem, ever truly has it all figured out. We all have our problems and we all have our issues and we're all struggling. The key is how to deal with it.
Whenever I feel down and lost, I tend to get envious and compare myself to those around me.
"But she has this"
"Why don't I have that"
"They don't even deserve it"
"Why can't I have it all like her?"
"My life is so difficult. Why can't I catch a break?"
"I work harder and better, but why are they more successful?"
We can ask ourselves these questions and more over and over again and never know the answers to any of them. I know I always say to not compare ourselves to others but let's be honest- there are definitely times when that's all we find ourselves doing. And guess what? That's normal too.
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| Photo from Tumblr |
Here are some points I want to share that I feel like I've learned and try to remind myself every time I feel lost, confused, unworthy and negative. Hopefully these help you too.
No one's life is perfect- no matter how much their Instagram feed says so.
I love Instagram. I love waking up and scrolling through my feed in bed and seeing what the world has been up to. It's a fun app that allows us to share our favorite moments, crazy adventures and fantastic selfies (it's alright to post a selfie now and then, just don't over do it!) but that's all it is- an app. Remember that what people post on Instagram is what they want the public to see. From the color themed feed to the carefully laid out flat lays and outfit shots- Instagram has become a way for us to showcase the BEST parts of our lives. Not the entire picture. Nobody's life is as perfect as their Instagram feed is. Everyone has their bad days too, they just don't put a filter and post it.
You have your good days too.
What I've been trying to do lately is list down all the 'little miracles' and 'little victories' I've experienced in my life. Whether it be a good parking slot at a crowded mall, the last piece of delicious cake at the restaurant or a good cup of coffee (or cups- let's be honest) I make a mental note to myself of each of these instances and file them carefully in my head for future use- for when I feel like my life isn't going anywhere. When you take the time to feel bad about your life, you should also be able to take the time to appreciate all the little great things that have happened to you. The problem we have is that we seem to only focus on the bad that happens, forgetting the good. So the next time you feel horrible, like things aren't going your way and you want to give up, try to look back and remember all the little instances where you won. When life went your way and things turned out great. I guarantee you that those 'little victories' won't seem so little anymore.
Being stuck in a 'rut' is a chance to try something new.
When your back is against the wall and you can't seem to get out of your rut, see it as a challenge. Make yourself find a new way to rise above the hardship, the frustration, the negativity and the struggle. When you look at your problem in a different light, chances are you won't feel so helpless about the situation. Whenever I feel like I can't move on from a problem, I try my best to see it as a way to exercise my creativity. When you change the way you see your problems, you can change the way you deal with them too.I know it's easier said and done. When I have my bad days, I really put myself down more than I can handle sometimes. As much embarrassing as it is, we shouldn't pent it up inside. Take a breather and talk to friends or to a special someone who will be with you throughout.
Remember that no one has their life figured out 100%. I know I already said this but I feel like it's something that needs to be repeated. So tell yourself everyday that it's okay to not know everything, to not know what it is that you want to do exactly, and that getting stuck is part of the process. We all have our struggles and we all have our issues but what's important is that we're all given the chance to grow and rise above it.
