Life is supposed to be a beautiful journey of learning important lessons, laughing more than crying, creating lasting relationships and continuously growing into the best version of ourselves.
However, for many people, that is simply not the case. In fact, a large chunk of the population constantly feel unhappy and beaten up by life due to mental illnesses, self-victimization and degrading addictions. If this sounds like you, it may be time to hit the reset button.
Regardless of what you may be struggling with, you are strong enough to get up, dust yourself off and come out the victor of your life. Below are five steps to resetting your life if you are suffering from mental illness or addiction.
5 Steps to Resetting Your Life
– Accept that you need to change: The first step to resetting your life is to accept that changes need to be made. You need to analyze your current life and determine the negative entities that are holding you back from truly being happy. You can perform a self-analyst by being completely open and honest with yourself. Make a list of your lifestyle habits, your diet, relationships, home life, job life and then separate the good from the bad.
– Seek help: Once you have accepted that you need to reset your life the next step would be to seek help. Making the decision to get professional help is one of the humbling things you can do to help yourself. If you have fallen into substance abuse, you should seek the aid of a quality women’s rehab center that focuses on empowering you and strengthening you from the inside/out. If you have trouble with depression and anxiety you can look for support groups, therapy and join meditation classes. And if you are experiencing physical symptoms like unusual pain and soreness, you should visit with your doctor to rule-out any pre-existing medical conditions that could be contributing to your symptoms of mental illness.
– Forgive: Many people get caught up in unhappiness, negative addictions and depression as a result of instances that may have happened in the past. If this is you, then you need to dig deep and find the strength to forgive your past and let go.
– Be kind to yourself: Unhappy people are often unkind to themselves, they do not see their self-value or worth. You need to make continual efforts to be kind to yourself. Speak self-positivity, eat healthy foods, dress stylishly, smile often, fuel your passions and establish healthy relationships. Know that you are a valuable member of society and you deserve happiness.
– Remain full of faith: Never give up on yourself and be tempted back into bad habits. Regardless of how far you have to go to free yourself from negativity, know that you will get there. Have faith in yourself and in the light at the end of the tunnel that awaits you.
The best part about life is that there are always opportunities to start over and come out the victor. You are worth it, so find the courage to seek help and hit the reset button.
Identity Magazine is all about empowering women to get all A’s in the game of life — Accept. Appreciate. Achieve.TM Every contributor and expert answer the Identity 5 questions in keeping with our theme. As a team, we hope to inspire and motivate ourselves and inspire you to get all A’s.
What have you accepted within your life, physically and/or mentally? What are you still working on accepting?
As a therapist working with clients who engage in self-destructive behaviors, I have come to accept that I don’t have the power to make someone change or give up a behavior they’re not ready to let go of. My job is to educate, offer support, guidance and comfort, and be an authentic cheerleader and witness to their process. Their journey is their own and the choices and successes have to come from them. And there are certainly still times when I have to work hard on accepting and embracing that reality!
What have you learn to appreciate about yourself and/or within your life, physically and mentally? What are you still working on to appreciate?
I am so grateful for the countless ways in which my family, husband, children, friends, and colleagues nurture and support me, and encourage me to be true to my passions and my life’s work. Their belief in me means everything, and allows me to pay it forward in my work with my clients. What I am still working on appreciating about myself is that I get physically tired, given everything I do, and need to make sure that I give myself enough rest.
What is one of your most rewarding achievements in life? What makes YOU most proud? What goals and dreams do you still have?
I believe I am a wonderful mother to my three sons and, as I watch them evolve into such loving and caring adult men who communicate well, aren’t afraid to show their feelings, and are so kind to others, that feels like a great personal achievement. I am very proud of the work I do as a clinician. I am proud of the fact that at 55 years old I can still perform on stage and dance like a teenager! I am so proud of my husband and the countless ways he has helped others in his role as a Family Physician. I love what I do, so my goals include being able to keep doing it all! I also want to continue traveling, write more books, act in more shows and continue to provide consultation and mentoring to younger mental health professionals.
We all have imperfections, so we think. The truth–we are all perfectly imperfect. What are your not-so-perfect ways? What imperfections and quirks create who you are–your Identity?
Although I go out of my way to express my gratitude to loved ones, I am terrible at “thank you” cards, have at least 5 bottles of shampoo open at the same time, don’t always balance my checkbook, and have pretty messy closets!
“I Love My…” is an outlet for you to express and appreciate all the positive traits that make you…well… YOU! Sharing what you love about yourself will make you smile, feel empowered, and uplift your spirit and soul. (we assure you! Identity challenges you to complete the phrase “I Love My…?
I love my ability to be compassionate, genuinely nurturing and kind, and to feel grateful, everyday, for the countless blessings in my life!
