Never Give Up!

Many of my friends and family are very sad right now, and I'll admit that I'm not in the best situation myself. But just because life gets tough, it doesn't mean we should throw in the towel. 

I've been doing a lot of reading, writing and reflecting, and here are some tips I have found when you're down in the dumps.

Count your blessings: What are you grateful for? What do you appreciate in life? What do you like about yourself?

Do something you love: Watch your favorite movie. Listen to your favorite song on repeat. Take a walk, bring your ipod and just listen to whatever your playlist brings your way.

Meditate: Take a deep breath, close your eyes, then open them to take in where you are. Pretend that you've never been here before. What do you notice? Are there dewdrops on the flowers? Is the sun shining on the snow?

Give Yourself A Break: Are you thinking that you failed? Are you thinking that you can't get past this? How do these thoughts benefit you? They don't. Instead think "I will get through this." "I can do this." 

Talk to someone: You don't have to talk about what's wrong. Reminesce on old times. Laugh at your favorite jokes. Just enjoy each others' company. Smile, Laugh and have fun.

Think about what you can do for others: Are you shopping today? Are you walking the dog? Smile and wave at the people you meet. Tell a joke at the check out line. Compliment someone. You'll be surprised at how you feel helping someone get through their day. All because you acknowledged them.

Turn Lemons into Lemonade: Ask yourself- "What can I do to improve my situation?" And act accordingly. Do you have a lot of time? Use it for your hobbies. Make new friends. Are you stuck in bed? Read, Watch a movie or even write if you feel like it. Come up with ways to enjoy where you are now, until you get to where you want to be. 

All these tips I have probably been advised by people through out my life, but only now, after reading numerous books and reflecting on my own habits, have I truly listed them as goals and habits. Why? Because it's more difficult. It's easier to give up. It's easier to blame the world. It's easier to hold a grudge. But in the long  run, does it reward you? No. 

The greatest reward you can earn in life is looking out from your self made prison and seeing the stars. 

So I hope this helps the people I care about. Those people on tumblr threatening suicide, my friends and family whose frustration builds up and carries over into resentment and negativity. 

If  you don't think that these tips will work for you, think about it this way, if someone you cared about was in this situation, what would you tell them? How would you want them to look at themselves and life?