3 TIPS FOR GETTING THROUGH THE LOWS OF LIFE

We all have the right to feel happiness and abundance in our lives. No matter where you are on your journey, there is HOPE on the other side. Sometimes life has big highs… and sometimes we experience extreme lows.

Remember that it’s your birthright to feel happiness and abundance—and that you will. There isn’t a person alive who’s life goes completely according to plan. And when terrible things happen in our lives, we might feel like there is little hope to run on.

You might be experiencing apathy, depression, or anxiety due to something that happened to you in life. Whatever the details and size of your rough patch, there are ways to begin the process of adding abundance back into your life.

Here are some tips to guide you through that process:

#1 Recognize the Journey

When going through any of life’s lows, it’s important to recognize the journey. Because here’s the thing: life is not a straight and narrow path. And sometimes, obstacles of heartbreak, grief, trauma, or loss, serve as the universe’s path to our next level of growth and freedom.

We must recognize that the highs and lows of life are often just the way things are—and often out of our control. Our hope comes from learning how to respond to the things that happen to us and being kind to ourselves along the way.

#2 Redirect Negative Thinking

We all have an internal dialogue, often referred to as self-talk or the inner critic. During the hard times especially, negative self-talk can rear its ugly head. It may try to tell you that whatever you’re going through is your fault, or that you aren’t enough. But don’t let it. That thought process doesn’t help or serve you on your journey; in fact, it only gets in your way!

Take some time to think about how you talk to yourself. If left unchecked, your inner critic can start to take over and just make a bad situation spiral further downward. In all instances, you deserve kindness—especially from yourself.

#3 Treat Yourself to Something Nice

Remember how I was just talking about being kind to yourself? Yeah, let’s do more of that.

A “treat” can mean different things depending on who you ask, but the key is to do something nice for yourself that will help bring you away from your current stress or grief a healthy way. Destructive choices, such as alcohol, junk food, or drugs, will just make things worse in the long-term, so focus on treating yourself in a way that’s good for your body and mind.

If you’re unsure what that looks like, here are some ideas for treating yourself:

• • Letting yourself go to bed early. I know, I know. Tough with so many great late night shows to watch and Instagram feeds to peruse. But when you wake up fresh in the morning, trust me, it’s a “treat”. So get in bed and read or do something that helps wind down your mind and focus on something nice. It’s much harder to cope when you’re tired and fatigued from lack of sleep, so getting rest is a great form of self-care.
  • Getting some exercise. Exercising naturally releases endorphins, which help you give feelings of happiness. The best part is, it doesn’t have to be anything extreme; you don’t even need to go to a gym! If all you can handle right now is a simple walk around the neighborhood, that’s more than enough.

• Getting a massage. Getting a good massage can do wonders for your spirits. You get to feel pampered, taken care of and it releases stress. And certain massages like deep tissue, hot stone, and, my personal favorite, lymphatic massages, actually act as natural detoxes for the body. It’s great stuff. And if you don’t want to go alone, invite a loved one, friend, or family member along. Spas love to cater to couples and groups… and frequently have specials, especially around the holidays such as Valentine’s Day.

• Spend time with good friends. If you have people in your life you love, care for and trust, plan a get-together with them and enjoy each other’s company. Laughing and engaging with others can be a great boost to your mood and help you avoid too much isolation. Endorphins, serotonin, and oxytocin (pleasure chemicals in the brain) galore.

• Make something healthy. Find a healthy recipe you’ve wanted to try—something not too complicated, but new—and make it for yourself. Your body and energy levels will thank you for the helpful vitamins and minerals!

• Do something you enjoy. What does it for you? Yoga? A great concert? A road trip? Schedule in time for this as a priority. If you aren’t yet feeling up to the same things you used to enjoy, take it one day at a time. Some simpler ideas could be going for a bike ride, crossword puzzles, going to the beach, or reading.

People experiencing tragedy or suffering tend to feel guilty for doing things for themselves. I get it. But it’s absolutely okay to take time for yourself—in fact, it’s necessary. It’s called self-care for a reason. It might take time to realize that loving yourself is not selfish. But the truth is that you can’t be the best of yourself for those around you without taking care of YOU first.

The biggest takeaway here is that no matter what you’re going through, there is hope. Whatever it is, it’s only temporary, not forever. You can handle it. There is a way out of your suffering, and you are not alone. And likely there is something truly remarkable on the other side. Practice self-care regularly, and you’ll come out shining when it’s all behind you.