Do you sometimes feel lost in life? Perhaps you haven’t progressed enough toward your true life goals. School takes up all your time. Heck, leave your homework to the last day because you’ll be older and therefore wiser. You work 9–5 but feel as though you are going nowhere at all. Have you forgotten to foster gratitude for all the things that have gone right?
Believe it or not, cleaning your room or house can make life seem more manageable. You know what they say: The best thing about cleaning your house is that it gives you an excuse to avoid cleaning your house. Then again, I heard it said, “My house is like a museum. Everything is old, nothing works, and you’re not supposed to touch anything.”
But truly, break tasks down into smaller portions. Organize your workplace while you’re at it. Focus your efforts in life on goals that will most likely yield success.
Implement useful daily routines. Do you even have a morning or evening routine? I knew it. Well, try this, sweet friends. In the morning, do something that will stimulate you and give you a boost of energy. The purpose of your evening habits is to decompress your body and mind and gradually prepare you for bed.
You may feel as though your life is “on repeat,” doing the same things day in and day out. Please do not forget about activities you once cared about. Do not allow all the joyous things in your life to fall into the recesses of your brain.
I do not even have to tell you that you most likely need a social media detox. How long do you spend on social media platforms? We all know how many negative aspects have arisen from scrolling day in, day out. It can literally give you feelings of isolation or self-absorption. Simply cutting down by a half hour a day can reduce feelings of anxiety or sadness.
Practice some form of meditation or mindfulness to restore your calm and give you a sense of inner peace.
Improve your mental state with some form of exercise. Get those endorphins pumping. What’s your pleasure? The gym, the treadmill, or lounging on the couch? Don’t you hate it when you’ve been running for two hours and the treadmill only says 15 minutes? My exercise routine is a combination of trial, error, and whatever the person on the elliptical next to me is doing.
But seriously, you’re not simply working your muscles when you move. You are literally improving your mental state. Good habits can be fostered with the right mindset and a dose of determination. What’s your excuse for not starting today? So your favorite exercise is running… Are you running out of excuses to skip the gym? Then again, don’t you wish your metabolism worked as fast as your fingers do when opening a bag of chips?
But truly, constantly worrying about trivial things is unfavorable and even unhealthy. What you do first thing in the morning sets the tone for your entire day. Wake up with a plan every single day. Checking your phone first thing? I get it. Wow… Look at all those notifications. My status, my messages, and those half-hour voice notes. They will lead you right into that rabbit hole.
What on earth should I wear? What do I want for breakfast? Do not spend too much time mulling over the trivial decisions of the day. This robs your brain of mental energy that can be used later. No need to bolt out of bed. Do allow yourself time to wake up.
Please stop reliving the particularly embarrassing moments of your past. Replaying those thoughts in your head over and over takes time away from being happy. Do you constantly think about the worst outcome in any given situation?
Don’t be daunted by thoughts of getting older. By the way, when does the “old enough to know better” phase kick in? You may become increasingly worried about keeping up. Make the most of the moment right here and right now. Remind yourself yet again not to be overly concerned with how you are perceived by others.
Micromanaging every part of your life is extremely draining and depleting. Remember to give your energy to things that are within your control. It’s too difficult, you say? Remind yourself, sweet friends, that it’s been said: You must do the things you think you cannot do.
Caroline is a licensed psychotherapist, crisis counselor, and writer with an office in Queens. She works with individuals, couples, and families. Appointments are available throughout the week and weekends. She can be reached at 917-717-1775 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at facebook.com/pages/Safe-Haven-Healing.