Have you perfected the part of you that puts on a happy face for people so they don't realize how unhappy you are? Have you resigned yourself to the idea that, even though you want so much more in your life - better friendships, increased energy, time for yourself and your family - you will never feel completely fulfilled? You need to realize that, although you may feel like you have reached the point of 'no return' and have no will-power to follow through with anything, you actually haven't. You have the ability and the will to create the changes you want in your life and to start today.
You are not alone in your struggle. Millions of people are trudging through their lives, tiredly going through the motions and not really experiencing the beauty of life. What is going on with our society that causes so many to feel lost, unfulfilled, and worthless? Let's look at a few reasons:
1. You feel lost and like you have nothing in your life to work towards - Do you have a project that you are currently working on that makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning? If not, you need to find one. Maybe think of the wonderful feeling you will have when you lose those extra pounds you have packed on, or finish that kitchen project you have been putting off. Maybe you have an idea for a side project at work that will bring in some extra income. Whatever it may be, you need to target something that you can do to make your days a bit more worthwhile - like the saying goes, 'If you aren't growing, you're dying'.
2. You watch too much television - One of the best things you can do for yourself is to get rid of your TV. It will give you time to read, research things that interest you online, and spend more time with your kids. When your work day is over, re-condition yourself to think about more options rather than mindlessly sitting in front of the TV. Engage in your life and get doing things you wouldn't normally do - no excuses.
3. Your diet is terrible - time to be honest with yourself, how much time are you putting in to preparing healthy meals for yourself and your family? How conscious are you of what chemicals and preservatives you are consuming daily with over-processed, unhealthy foods? There is so much evidence out there now that connects a healthy diet with fresh greens to your metabolism and brain chemistry, which directly correlates to your energy levels and mood. You need to take the time to prepare fresh foods and it is a great time to start buying locally grown produce - help local farmers and businesses prosper.
4. You play the victim on a daily basis - this is a pretty common one that we are all guilty of at some time or another. Think about this - when you get into a deep conversation with others how often does it go into how many things are wrong with your life? How about discussing things that are right in your life instead? We all have so much to be grateful for and so many blessings, we need to be conscious of these things rather than the negatives, the 'first-world problems' that we may have. You also need to surround yourself with positive people that bring out the good in you, in essence end any toxic relationships you may have while you are at it.
5. You believe that this is your identity; you can't and won't change it - You feel like you can't teach old dogs new tricks. Really??? The truth is, you can teach anyone anything as long as they are willing to learn and to try new things. You need to be fed up with how things are going in your life enough to push through that old attitude and realize that you are not stuck and that you can make a change. Gain whatever inspiration you require to feel like you can make a difference in your life. Feeling anxious and depressed is NOT your identity if you don't want it to be.
6. You stay away from everything that you fear - you need to listen to that little voice in your head that whispers to you to 'do it' when facing your fears. When you do, you will realize that it is not even close to as bad as you imagined it would be. It is the most exhilarating feeling when you can accomplish something you were always afraid of doing. You don't want to look back on your life with regret because of some ridiculous fears holding you back - they will seem silly when you are on your deathbed won't they? They are silly now too. I guarantee it.
7. You believe that you don't deserve happiness - for whatever reasons, you don't feel like you are entitled to one of the most basic rights of humans - to find happiness. Write down a list of things that make you feel happy and content. It could be a big thing like going to an amusement park with your kids or as simple as a bubble bath. Self- care is something that we rarely do these days because we are too 'busy'. Try to do something that makes you happy every day. You deserve it, truly.
8. You haven't realized what potential you have to make a change - Steve Jobs once said something along the lines of, "Do you want to change the world? Or do you want to spend your life selling sugared water?" I don't much like sugared water, so I think I will try to change the world, how about you? You can do anything you set your mind to. Nothing has happened in this world without a single person and an idea. You don't have to do anything huge like inventing a clean power source, but look around you. You have the power to change your world, and the ones of the people closest to you. You just need to give yourself a chance.
9. You reject help - you think that asking for help is a sign of weakness. As a matter of fact, asking for help takes an incredible amount of strength and courage. You also need to remember that what goes around comes around, you will get a chance to add fulfillment to your life by giving back where help was given to you once. If you are stuck in an aspect of your life, ask for help from someone who has been there. You could even contact a professional. Life is too short to waste on being too proud to ask for help.
10. You spend too much time trying to improve on things that don't matter - ever heard the saying, "we major in minor things"? It is true. When I was going through my toughest times I would try to master different ways of scoring goals on FIFA with my x box. Now I think to myself, 'what a waste of time!' If I had only spent those hours on a tennis court perfecting my serve - you might be watching me play on television right now instead of reading this post! In all seriousness, we as a society are too caught up with the pursuit of wealth and good looks and possessions. See where your time is being spent and make changes that your future self will thank you for mentally, physically, and spiritually. You need to improve on the things in life that matter, where you will find the deepest fulfillment and rewards. Look into improving yourself - that will make all the difference.
Professional athlete as well as mental health mentor my goal is to inspire and lead anyone suffering from the many mental health disorders. 6 years of emergency visits to doctors, and uncontrollable nervousness fueled by multiple physical symptoms has taught me how precious life really is, I wasted a lot of time worrying about fears that never came true s a professional athlete, and now I want to show you how I turned it all around naturally.