We all struggle. That is a part of life. Whether it be with the monotonous day-to-day stuff like school, work, relationships, friends, family, or other things in life (i.e. bullying, peer pressure, tension between others, health based issues, etc) can be bumpy and can leave you imbalanced. Some may feel as though that ‘god isn’t being there for me (others)’, or karma is ‘biting me in the ass’, or ‘life sucks’. When things get tough, whether it be radical life changes, ongoing stressors, or combination of both, can often lead one to feel; unmotivated, angry, depressed, jaded, burned out, tired, or maybe even confused. Unfortunately, these factors can lead to unwanted thoughts/feelings, unhealthy habits, as well as destructive tendencies. Without much explanation, here are some ways to either cope, de-stress, and or use energy in other productive ways.

1: Do what you love, and love what you do. Ergo, do what makes YOU Happy. (What makes you happy? Art, music, writing, singing, dancing, gaming, running, hiking, swimming, biking, building, mechanics, science, spirituality, so on? Do it!)

2. If you are feeling out of whack, it’s good to keep balanced in ALL ways: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. This isn’t always easy, but taking steps, creating and setting goals, and doing things like going for a 10 minute walk a few times a week or planning out meals for the day/week helps. (Also, moderation is key!)

3. Back to the mental and emotional health part: writing in a journal daily, taking an allotted chunk of your day for ‘me time’, hot baths/showers, stretching and yoga, meditating, etc are some ways to help the psyche.

4. When you’re feeling restless or bored, hang out with a friend! See a movie, have a cup of coffee, go for a walk, go shopping, or just hang out and talk. (Also spending lots of time outside is a good way to cleanse your mind, ground/center yourself, and de-stress. That can include gardening, reading a book under a tree, meditating, exercising, etc.)

5. Speaking of friends, family, loved ones, or those you trust, don’t be afraid to reach out! If you’re feeling lost, don’t know what to do, looking for advice, or just need to vent, talking to someone you trust does the trick (just make sure you put out there what you NEED, like if you need to vent or need advice to save confusion or potential conflict).

6. I must also add if you have an emergency in any way, shape, or form, get a hold of a crisis center and or hotline, please call 911, go to the emergency room. YOUR LIFE MATTERS. ALL LIVES MATTER!

7. If it doesn’t feel good/right to you, don’t do it. No need to fight your intuition, or ‘gut’. It is there for a reason, you can trust it.

8. As hard as this might be, and MANY people struggle with this: DO NOT put yourself down, judge yourself, compare yourself to others, and or punish yourself in any way, shape, or form.  You yourself are a unique, beautiful, blessed being. Everything about yourself (flaws included) makes you WHO YOU ARE. That within itself is beautiful. You are own your own path in life, and there are no right(s) or wrong(s) on YOUR path, just lessons, learning experiences, and growth. (Others have their own life path as well as their own strengths, weaknesses, beliefs, dreams, etc. There is no way that you can compare yourself to another person because you two are on different paths! It is like comparing a banana to ice cream).

9. Always show gratitude to yourself and others. The more we appreciate, cherish, and hold dear to our hearts, the more loving intentions and light we send to people/things that really DO matter. AND it also opens the door to abundance and greater love in our lives. (In reality, as crappy as one situation might be, maybe it is happening for a reason! It might be hard to see at first, but there are ups and downs to everything).

10. Always remember that any form of bullying is their negative views, opinions, thoughts, and feelings about THEMSELVES, being projected onto you. (Also remember that bullies are also bullied more likely than not. It doesn’t make it right by all means, but adding awareness to the matter can help stop the vicious cycle).

I send much love and light to you. In the end, everything will work itself out and everything will be OK. =)

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