How to Get Through Hard Times
We have all heard it a million times… 2020 was a hard year for EVERYONE. For me, it hasn’t been 2020. I have struggled with depression since 2014, adding on the stuggles of 2020 made it that much worse. I am going to share with you my tips and tricks for getting through a hard time, even when it feels impossible.
1.) Make a schedule
Whether you are working from home, in school, or simply unemployed, making a schedule is key. Start each morning the same; with morning workouts or a cup of coffee watching the news. The world is your oyster. Set time through the day for self care; 15 minute meditation, social media scrolling, it can be anything. Giving yourself planned breaks through the day can help relieve some anxiety. End your day the same; light a candle and read a book, watch your favorite show. This will help your brain and body know its time to relax and go to bed.
Making a daily schedule for yourself everyday will help you hold yourself accountable and give you stucture. This has helped me a ton, knowing what my day will look like each day gives me purpose to get out of bed and get moving.
2.) Write down what you are struggling with
Anxiety is so hard to manage. You could be anxious for a very valid reason, or no reason at all. Writing everything down will help you come to the root of your anxiety, without taking it out on others. If you find you are anxious about the same thing most of the time, focus on that! It’s easier to focus on one thing you are anxious about at a time, instead of trying to tackle a million reasons at once.
Writing things down can be healing. It can help you reveal why you felt the way you did in that moment and you can come back to it later and process through it. I write things down every night, whether I was happy the entire day or full of anxiety. I also can find commonalities in things that make me happy, mad, sad, or anxious and be able to navigate through them.
3.) Find someone to talk to
This can be anyone from a friend, family member, or therapist. Keeping things bottled up is the worst thing you can do for yourself. Make sure this is someone you trust and feel open to telling them the real truth about how you are feeling. For me I have a hard time telling my family how I am really feeling, so I talk to a friend. I do not want people in my family to think I don’t have it all together, when in reality… IT’S OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY.
My friend also struggles with some of the same anxiety that I do. We are checking on each other daily and always suggesting new things for us to try to get through it. She is also someone I expect to hold me accountable for my goals and aspirations.
4.) Make a list of goals and things you love
Goals are key. If you write down things you aspire to do or be, it becomes more real. Write down a month goal, a year goal, and 5 years and how you plan to achieve this. Post it somewhere you see every day for that daily reminder on what you are working towards. This gives your life purpose and a reason to wake up every day when it seems impossible.
Write down things that make you happy. For me, it’s playing soccer, taking my dog on a walk, and calling a friend. Having this list readily avalable will make it easier to do things that make you happy without much thought, instead of going and laying in bed and doing nothing.
5.) Daily Self Affirmations
No matter who you are, or where you came from, you are worthy of an amazing life. Waking up every morning and giving yourself love can set an amazing vibe for the day. When you get a bad thought in your head through the day, turn that off and tell yourself three nice things instead of letting the bad thought get to you. Affirmations are hard, but they do wonders for your mental health.