Sometimes, life could feel like a washing-out, stressful rough rather than the exciting adventure it’s meant to be. We’ve consulted life coaches and clinical psychologists to support you in understanding the source of the false feelings and learning coping mechanisms so you could begin feeling better.

Negativity bias: You might feel negatively about life as our brains often aim on the false way more than the true way.

Comparisons: It could be really easier to compare life to someone else’s, which could leave you feeling dissatisfied and negative.

Burnout: Coping with the regular grind of school or working and responsibilities could wearing you 

down and left you felt pessimistic about life.

Unrealistic comparisons. Everyone compares themselves to their peers from time to time—it’s just a usual chunk of being human. Unfortunately, making frequent comparisons could make you overly aimed on what you don’t have rather than what you do have.

Daily responsibilities. The daily grind of work, school, and other responsibilities could be the heavy weight to bear, particularly if you have a lot on the plate. Burnout is a big real and valid problem that could leave you worn-down and pessimistic with a false outlook on life.

Relationship or family issues.Your relationships with the loved ones and significant others could be an incredibly significant chunk of the life and could play a bigger chunk in the emotional well-being (or lack thereof). 

Financial stressorsThe regular stresses of owning/renting a home, managing the bills, or just making ends meet could be a huge source of negativity and stress. 

Major life stressors. Plenty of huge life events could take a sincere toll on the health and mental well-being and could make life a lot less enjoyable, like divorcing from the loved one.

Unfortunate circumstances. Big events like illness in the family could really cast a shadow over day-to-day life and zap away the usual excitement and happiness from your routine.

Mental illness. An undiagnosed mental illness such as depression or anxiety might not be visible like a physical illness, but that doesn’t make it any less valid or real. 

Ways to Feel Better

Face the issues and try to fix them. Mightybe you’re in a huge fight with a loved one, or you’re stressing about managing the next month’s bills. 

Recognize false thought patterns. Negative thinking comes in a lot of various sizes and shapes—so much so that it’s not always easier to identify them right off the bat. There are a some common kind of false thinking you may run into.

Accept negative thoughts without judging them. Better denoted as “thought-stopping,” this strategy includes hitting the brakes on the false way, unwanted thinking by uttering “stop” to yourself. 

Practice positive thinking strategies. Like any other awesome habit, true thinking is something that becomes easy the more you practice it. There are a some simple manners to dial up the positivity in the daily routine:

Treat yourself with compassion.When you struggle with a false circumstance or thought, approach yourself with the love, grace, and kindness you would show to a buddy.

Incorporating positive affirmations into the routine.An affirmation is an uplift statement that nudges the thoughts in a more true direction.  

Identify what is and isn’t out of the control. Applying the phone, computer, or a blank sheet of paper, categorize and list the various stressors in life. Which ones are within the control and which ones aren’t? 

Acknowledge what you’re grateful for.On your phone, in the notebook, or just in the head, think about one particular thing you’re grateful for—like your cat greeting you when you get home, or the beautiful weather that filled the room with sunshine. 

Set aside time for your hobbies. Maybe you like playing a pick-up game of soccer with the buds, or you really enjoyed knitting while catching up on your favorite TV show. 

Plan joy activities in the future. Ask a buddy to hang out on the weekend, or plan a fun weekend away with the loved ones in the summer. Having something to look forward to could really support brightening the outlook on life.

Volunteering for the cause that really means a ton to you. Are you passionate about the homeless pets in the community, or do you care a lot about the environment? 

Practicing mindfulness regularly. Practicing mindfulness is all about focusing on the present moment and learning to accept the thoughts rather than fighting them. 

Spending time with loved ones and buds.It could be tough to reach out to the supporting system when you felt low—but doing so could make a really huge difference!

Make time for a healthy diet and usual exercise. Trying to switch up the regular meal plans in tiny but meaningful manners. The healthier and more nourishing you are, the more prepared you would be to face life’s adventures and challenges.  

Chat with the life coach.Life coach Morris explained how meeting with a life coach is “the similar thing as an aspiring athlete meeting with someone who could evaluate their athletic skill.