The ongoing pandemic has had a devastating effect on the global economy and no doubt there are many who feel that their situation is unsalvageable. However, these kinds of setbacks are just a fact of life and it is almost always possible to get out of such a situation and get your lives back in order; and all you need is some smart decision making, life and attitude changes, and some hard work, perseverance, and time. Better still, the decisions you make now could even prevent you from being affected as drastically from such events in the future. Here are a few tips to get you started on the road to recovery.
Keep A Positive Mental Attitude
No matter what the situation may be, the very first thing you need to do is change your attitude towards the situation for the better. Do not give in to despair. The more time you spend on self-pity and stressing over the situation, the less time you have to actually find and work on a solution. Remember, no matter how bad things get, there is always a brighter future ahead. Yes, it’s true that no lasting changes happen overnight. But to get started you first have to understand and accept the fact that recovery, while it may take some time, is possible.
The First Steps
Once you get a grasp of your emotions and begin to think positively, the first thing you need to do is step back and access your current situation. Figure out what it is that holding you back, is it a bad habit you have? Is it some person in particular? Is there something that is burning a hole in your savings that you don’t need? What is your current job situation and are you happy working there? etc.
Only once you have a broader and more analytical look at your situation can you come up with a solution. Sometimes, your problems may be bigger than any single person could reasonably expect to tackle on their own. If this is the case, do not hesitate to reach out to friends or loved ones. Even if they are unable to offer you direct help and guidance; even the simple act of talking and sharing can do wonders for your mental wellbeing.
Start Small
Another great way of achieving your self-improvement goals are to make small, concrete changes in your life one at a time. Choose one aspect of your life that you feel is holding you back from achieving your goals and start by cutting down on it, taking corrective action, or replace it with another action that can set you on the right path.
Once you have achieved your goal for that aspect of your life, move on to the next. These smaller changes will gradually accumulate and before too long you will see your quality of life and productivity drastically improve. To help you along you could even get into the habit of taking one positive action every day. It doesn’t have to be anything monumental; just something that brings you closer to a goal.
An important step to consider is improving your physical health. A great way to achieve this is to weave it in as part of your daily self-improvement goals. Try out a new sport, get a subscription to a gym, or maybe even just get up for a run as part of your daily morning routine. Weave this into your life wherever and however possible and it will pay dividends in the long run.
Start Saving
Another important step, if you haven’t already done so, is to open a savings account. No matter how dire your situation may be or how much you earn, everyone needs to open one and make a commitment to put whatever they can into it, whenever possible. Even if it’s just a couple of rials a month, it eventually adds up. 20 or 30 years down the road you will be happy you did so.
Sort Out Your Social Life
Another great step to recovery is to end any toxic relationships you may have, be it professional or personal. Life is too short to spend with people or jobs that make you unhappy or bring you down. Don’t be afraid to cut them out of your life as much as possible. On the same note, holding onto anger and resentment can easily eat away at us without our realising it. Learn to let go, in most cases, it’s not worth holding onto such resentment.
Social media is another area you need to address. Yes, it has its positives, but it is also a big time sink. Furthermore, people broadcast their lives online, subconsciously forcing you to compare yourself to others. This can be especially dangerous if you’re in a slump and is known to even push people over the edge. You do not need to cut it out completely, but take a step back and focus on your personal goals instead.
In place of social media, we recommend branching out socially in person, when the current situation improves of course and it is possible to do so safely. Host a day out with your friends and do it regularly, but with moderation. This not only allows you to keep in regular contact with them but is also a great way to relax after a long week or two of hard work. At the same time, find opportunities to get in contact with old friends, make new ones and branch out.
Do Not Fear Big Changes
In most cases there is a direct correlation between how unhappy and dissatisfied a person is with their lives and how firmly entrenched they are in their “comfort zone”. The sooner you recognise that change is a part of life the better it will be for you. So, instead of life forcing you to change your ways, why not embrace it and seek out changes yourself. Break out of your bubble, do things you would not normally do; be it travel (current circumstances allowing of course), learning a new skill, or taking up a new hobby.
Furthermore, as we mentioned before, life is too short to spend with people or jobs that make you unhappy or bring you down. So, while we understand that such a huge change can be scary and the current situation may not always allow it, when the opportunity does arise, do not hesitate to just get up and make the move. If you are in a job you are not happy with, but are in a position where it is physically and financially possible for you do make that change, what are you waiting for? Just go ahead, give your notice and find yourself a new and more rewarding career, even if it forces you to move to a different country. It just could be the best move you have ever made.