Are you at a point where you feel life sucks? Perhaps you have just lost your job or maybe you just feel like there is nothing exciting in your life? Whatever the reason is, there are things that you can do to go through this rough period.
Tip 1#When life sucks….accept it!
Acceptance is the first step. You are where you are and for now embrace it. Do not try to run for the hills! Ups and downs are a normal part of life. They are inevitable. The question is how do we fare during the downs. In the words of Isaac Hanson,
Everybody has their ups and downs, and that’s what makes you tougher.
So we have to survive these times and come out on the other side. The moments are sure to come, we must embrace them and roll with the punches so to speak.
Pablo Sandoval also says,
You’re going to have some ups and downs, so you have to prepare yourself to be ready. Those down moments come.
Tip 2# When life sucks…learn from it!
Every situation in life is an opportunity to learn. As Idowu Koyenikan put’s it,
“There are certain life lessons that you can only learn in the struggle.”
You may even have examples in your life of when one of your low points turned out to be a lesson and something good turned out of it. Perhaps losing that job may put you in a situation where you have to pursue another interest. Low points can be life lessons and we can take them as opportunities to learn and grow.
In the words of Nishan Panwar,
I’m thankful for every break in my heart, I’m grateful for every scar, some pages turned, some bridges burned, but there were lessons learned.
Tip 3# When life sucks…remember things change!
Change is inevitable- while you maybe saying life sucks right now, know for sure that change is inevitable. Change is sure, it may be slow but minute by minute things are changing for sure. Just as Mother Earth continues to spin on its axis at 1000 per hour without fail, so too are things changing for you. You cannot remain in a rut forever, if the will is there for change, change will surely come one way or another. Here is a list of some of the most successful business people whose turned their fortunes around. At one point in their lives, they said life sucks but their circumstances changed. Morris E Goodman, now dubbed the miracle man, is a man who despite being told that he will never be able to walk again, he defied the odds and today he walks. So when life sucks, know that change is coming for sure. Try to see past what is currently not pleasing you and look for that ray of light.
Tip 4# When life sucks…appreciate more!
Too often when things are not going well, we tend to put 100% focus on the problem. What is not right consumes us and with our constant worrying it becomes a much bigger problem than what it is. Whilst there may be things that are not going right in other areas of your life, there will be surely be a lot of things that are going well. Is it not a blessing to be able to breath unaided, without even any conscious effort on our part?
Abraham Hicks one of my favorite teachers, emphasises the power of appreciation. With appreciation we can rise above adversaries and plough through difficult times. Here are some of Abraham Hicks quotes on appreciation,
Appreciation in advance brings everything you want to you.-Abraham Hicks
Look for good things about where you are, and in your state of appreciation, you lift all self-imposed limitations – and all limitations are self-imposed – and you free yourself for the receiving of wonderful things.- Abraham Hicks
It can be difficult to appreciate when we feel life sucks but if we have the intent to, we soon how plentiful there is to appreciate. For example, you could appreciate:
- the fact that you are able to read this right now
- that your device is working perfectly
- the amazing technology that makes connecting with people from all over the world so easy and so forth
- the gift of the air we breathe
- the calming sounds of the flowing river
As difficult as it may be, do not fuel the thought life sacks, instead use appreciation to diminish negative thoughts.
Tip 5# When realise sucks…remember your power of choice!
You can choose what to think at any given moment. You could choose to think ‘life sucks’ or you could choose ‘I am grateful to be alive’ or ‘I am grateful for the air that I breathe’. So utilise your of power choice and choose your thoughts. In his book, The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People, Stephen R Covey, tells the story of how Nazi survivor Viktor Frankl used his power of choice to be free even though he was held captive in concentration camps. He writes,
“They (Nazi captors” had more liberty, more options to choose from in their environment he (Viktor Frankl) had more freedom, more internal power to exercise his options.”
Even though he was being held in despicable conditions, Viktor Frankl deliberately chose not to use his mind to wallow in his sorrows, he decided to think liberating thoughts. We can also apply the same approach in our dark moments. Instead of repeatedly thinking life sucks we can wake up to our power of choice and decide to direct our mind differently.
Tip 6# When life sucks…meditate!
Your mind deserves a break! Stop the worry it has no value. In his book, The Light In The Heart, Roy Bennett, says,
Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.
So stop the worry and relax your mind. Meditation is a great tool for resting our hard working brains. Ajahn Brahm says,
“Meditation is like a gym in which you develop the powerful mental muscles of calm and insight.”
Tip 6# When life sucks… take a trip down memory lane
Anything you can do to take your mind off things for a while will be beneficial for your well being. Perhaps when you go down memory lane you will realise that you have had lows that you managed to come out of. There may be a lesson or 2 in your past.
Tip 7# When life sucks… do something you love
Instead of constantly asking why does my life suck, or constantly retelling your woes to everyone you meet, how about give yourself a treat. Treats do not necessarily have to cost money. It may be going for a swim or even taking your dog for a walk. In order to be able to tackle any challenges in life you need to be in a good place, and your starting point is loving yourself and doing something for yourself. Louise Hay, the guru of self love says,
Love is the great miracle cure. Loving ourselves works miracles in our lives.
Tip 8# When life sucks…spend time in nature
John Muir says,
In every walk in with nature one receives far more than he seeks. John Muir
Nature is refreshing. Nature is full of wander. Regardless of what is going on around the world, the birds continue to fly. Plants continue to grow and flowers bloom. Rivers flow. The oak trees stand majestically, just as they have for decades, some even centuries. You can draw strength and a sense of calm from the natural world. In nature there is steady reminder that despite the craziness going on there is a place of solace. In the words of Henry David Thoreau,
I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees.
Ralph Waldo Emerson also says,
Adopt the pace of nature. Her secret is patience. Ralph Waldo Emerson
Tip 9# When life sucks…say positive affirmations
So things are not going too well right now, take a moment and ask yourself how many times have I repeated the phrase, ‘my life sucks’. How many times have you said negative things about yourself and your life? Louise Hay, founder of Hay House Publishing, puts a lot of emphasis on the value of affirmations. Here is a list of some affirmations you can deliberately choose to say instead of negative words. According to Louise Hay, our words are seeds of what we create in our lives therefore if we want to see good outcomes we must plant good seeds.
Tip 10# When life sucks…play your favorite tunes
There is nothing that can quickly change mood quickly than music. The singing legend that is Elton John says,
Music has healing power. It has the ability to take people out of themselves for a few hours.”
A party would not be the same without music. So let yourself go for a while and play your favourite tunes. As you begin to feel happier and lighter, you may open yourself up to new insights that will get you out of the low point.
Tip 11# When life sucks…find inspiration!
There are plenty of inspirational stories, inspirational quotes and inspirational books that you can delve into to find the motivation to face the day. It is my hope that reading a post like this will shift your focus and fill you with inspiration.
Tip 12# When life sucks…act!
So you have lost your job or you are overweight, complaining about it will not help that is for sure. Begin to take action. Even the smallest of actions will be a move in the right direction. Vincent Van Gogh says,
“Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.”
Robert Collier also says the same thing,
Success is the sum of small efforts – repeated day in and day out.
So start taking action and with each step you will be moving towards your ideal.
Conclusion
When life sucks we dont have to bang our heads against the wall, we can take a break. Low points are our opportunities to learn and we should remember that everything comes to pass. We can help ourselves move through these challenging times by meditating, finding inspiration, taking solace in nature and with time a new dawn will come.
Regardless of what the low point in your life is, remember these words from Vince Lombardi,
It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get up.”
