Sometimes life has the habit of kicking you in the teeth and whilst we all go through times when we feel fed up, lonely, frightened or even unloved, it can be a very isolating time. Life isn’t supposed to be so difficult. During your childhood, did you ever once think about money problems or that you would find yourself in difficult situations and be struggling to cope? Bills, unpaid mortgage payments, relationship problems. Your whole life was focussed on having fun back then and you felt healthy and filled with the zest for life. So, what changed?
Sometimes it is easy to depict the answers. You made some bad choices or perhaps you just didn’t look after yourself, it’s a slippery slope and whatever difficulties you might experience, the one thing that you cannot afford to do is to bury your head in the sand.
But even if you feel fed-up and that life is anything but that proverbial bowl of cherries, just how bad is it really? Do you feel totally exhausted, mentally and physically? Have you stopped caring about your job or even your home-life? Do you dread going home at night? Does every day seem to start and finish with the same monotony? Do you feel largely unappreciated and that you are unable to cope with the day to day tasks?
Feeling like this over an extended period of time is dangerous. Stress levels rise due to short term difficult or dangerous situations, but if your stress levels elevate constantly due to your inability to change the situation that acts as a negative trigger, then your health is going to suffer. Stress can make changes occur within your body and you can become vulnerable to illnesses such as flu or even the common cold. Whether you get ill or just feel unwell, this added side-effect will make you feel totally miserable and lethargic.
It’s easy to say that you have to look after yourself but when you don’t have the energy to care or your life is such a muddle that you can’t see the wood for the trees, then you need to gain clarity from an outsider. A confidant, a friend, a family member or, a counsellor if necessary. Your problems may be easily resolvable but if it’s only one of a number of problems, you will not be able to cope with them all alone. Getting to the crux of the matter is important though and once you start doing something about any issues, you are going to feel so much more positive instantly. Seek advice and get help for any medical concerns but once you have done that, there are things that you can do to help you re-emerge from the lethargy that swamps you.
Firstly, set yourself some boundaries. Learn just how to say no if you get difficult or unreasonable requests on your time. Do some gentle exercise at home. You won’t feel like it but you will be very glad that you did. Even just a fifteen minute session will start to make you feel better. Make sure you get some decent sleep too. Nobody can focus adequately without sleeping well. You will feel tired, irritable and lack focus immediately.
Think about your diet too. Don’t turn to chocolate as a crutch to get you through this bad spell. If you put on weight or feel unwell through lack of nutrition, then you are likely to feel worse emotionally and physically. Even if you don’t feel like cooking. Snack on nutritious nuts, grains or chia seeds. Incorporate more fruit in your diet and make sure you drink plenty of water.
There are ways to start your day off so that it sends out a positive vibe too. Create a relaxing ritual for first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Learn to meditate, listen to soothing music, read a chapter of your favourite book. Light an oil burner and add a few drops of your favourite aromatherapy oil to it. Create a personal journal and have ten minutes in which to write down how you feel or your goals of the day. Importantly, give yourself something to look forward to. Life can be difficult but sometimes, you have to take control of your situation and that might mean asking for help or identifying your own problems and tackling them head on but if you can do this, your life will soon be back on track and better because of it.
