I've mentioned this a lot of time in past posts. That often when one area of your life starts falling apart, So do the others.
We often hear of that man that loses his job, Loses his income, Later gets a divorce, and he heads into rock bottom. This is a good example. That's why it's important to be incredibly proactive even when the situation is out of your hands.
This is a struggle I had to deal with a lot this year. Many things sort of "Happened" to me. Throughout this year, I've felt frightened. Like much of my life was out of my control. We don't have much control over our own lives. I Don't say that to discourage anyone from not trying. But we also have to learn how to handle things that we cannot change.
This year my close friend passed away. And my relationship of 6 years ended, There were also a lot of other larger events that happened. That I can't talk about. But they made my life difficult.
I can't "change" or fix either one of these. While some could argue I could fix my "relationship." I wanted to. But both partners have to be onboard for it to work. So at that point, It was out of my hands.
Life can be kind of cruel sometimes. Despite these things happening, Life keeps going. The bills don't stop; I have to pick myself up and move. I can't just hide in my bed for 16 years.
Even though I couldn't control those two situations, I can control my actions afterward. My relationship ended first, And I sat thinking deeply what I could do to simplify my life to make it easier to get through it. That's when I decided to buy myself a car so that I could get around easier. Go places, Enjoy life a bit more.
With Steemits help I was able to obtain that.
When times get hard, It can be easy to feel down and negative, But usually, if you look hard enough, There are resources or opportunities around that you can take advantage of.
We may not be able to choose everything that happens in our life, But we can constantly improve our standards of living.
Often when Things go wrong, We want to reach for the alcohol, Or we use food to cope. This just makes our circumstances worse. The unhealthy food will make us feel like crap. Or the alcohol could make everything worse.
Sometimes when things go wrong, Sometimes some alcohol seems like a good idea. But I don't allow it. Taking care of yourself makes a big difference on how you cope. Even if you have to have a few lazy days to help, you recover to do it. But try to at least do the basics. And include some exercise to help give you "Happy Chemicals." It will make a big difference in the long run.
Brainstorming is one of the most effective things out there. So many people don't do it.
Take out a pad of paper and just write whatever comes to your head. Even the silly stuff. Think of things YOU can do, And you can control to make your situation better. Look at what other people are doing, Look up options on the internet. JUST DO SOMETHING.
Often the most "unrelated" thing can be something that helps us the most.
For example, Getting a car after my break up, Forces me to learn how to drive NOW. Which distracts me a bit from everything else. Also, this new skill, Allows me to find new running trails, and hiking trails. So I can better take care of myself. I also can now go to the grocery store a little more often to buy fruits and vegetables to eat. Instead of mostly eating what I can only haul in my bag on my bicycle.
This seemingly unrelated thing, Is helping me cope a lot more! And if I need a larger change of scenery I can go on a road trip, or out of state.
Another bizarre coping mechanism I used for this year, Is I went back to my old part-time job that I quit 1.5 years ago. Quite a few of my favorite coworkers still work there. And being able to see them every day again, Definitely lifts my mood.
Plus, It's a good way to exercise, And I get paid!
After all of this that happened this year, I didn't think I'd get through this. But now in December. I have made changes to set me back on track to get what I want out of life. Sometimes you just need to make changes, Brainstorm, And work with what you have. To make even the smallest of improvements. It will all add up,
And don't worry! It will be okay!
