There’s a weight sitting on your chest.
Your gut feels funny. Your eyes might water. Your muscles might tense.
When you’re struggling mentally, your body takes the brunt of it. It feels wrong.
And the mind?
The mind has a cruel party for one. There’s an influx of negative thoughts, each telling you you’re not good and strong enough. It also tells you that you’re hopeless and ready to crumble.
But you don’t.
You’re strong enough to understand that you need support — that’s why you’re reading this post.
Here are 14 things to do to keep holding on.
Table of Contents
1. Become Your Own Best Friend
Sometimes, our problems seem so much bigger than us. They overshadow us to the point where we forget about ourselves, and soon, we’re just going through the motions of life.
But when you become your own best friend — you start prioritizing yourself and are more intuitive of your feelings. That’s when good changes begin to take place.
You start putting yourself first. You become aware of your desires and fears. You stop seeking external validation. Plus, you start healing because you finally want something better for your life.
Before I got into the personal growth space, I used to think self-love was a glamorized idea, where all you had to do was put on a face mask or go shopping.
But self-love means getting down to the bones of your pain and figuring out how to overcome it.
2. Journal
Journaling encourages deep self-reflection — especially at a time when you’re overcome with powerful emotions like anger, bitterness, grief, and hopelessness.
Journaling is an outlet for those emotions.
There’s a lovely quote that summarizes this: “When the voices in your head become too loud, write.”
Of all the personal growth habits I’ve cultivated, journaling remains the top one because it pulled me out of darkness.
3. Find a Purpose or Create One
A ship battling turbulent waters is guided back to shore by a lighthouse.
Similarly, your purpose is a lighthouse.
Studies have shown that people who are depressed lose their will to live because they feel they have nothing left to live for.
A purpose gives you hope for the future and is a reason to wake up every morning.
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to “find” a purpose. You just have to create one.
And it doesn’t have to be this big, extravagant thing — it can be small, like eating healthy, studying a new course, or writing 500 words a day.
These are the purposes I created for myself.
Anything that has the power to motivate you and give you light in the dark is a purpose.
4. Speak to Someone You Trust
I’ll be the first to admit that I hate sharing my issues with others. It makes me feel grossly vulnerable and weak.
However, when I open up to my best friend or mom, I feel immediate relief — because I trust them blindly.
Open up to people who genuinely care about you. Most of the time, it becomes a mutually beneficial relationship because they’ll share their own problems with you too.
5. Become Your Own Therapist
I would recommend professional therapy to anyone, but there’s nobody else who will invest more time and energy into your healing than you.
Become an active part of your healing by taking control of how you’re feeling.
Becoming your own therapist might sound ridiculous, but all you have to do is regularly question yourself.
“How do I feel today?”
“Why do I feel like this?”
And be brave enough to dig deeper.
“Do the issues I face now stem from childhood trauma?”
Also, journal throughout this. Writing down your findings helps you to organize them better.
6. Take a Break to Do What You Enjoy
There’s nothing worse for your mental health than slogging away at work while your emotions are a mess.
Get away from the grind and do the things you enjoy. Sometimes, all you need is time away from your routine to renew your love for life again.
7. Get Inspired by Great People Who Struggled Too
The most successful people in the world were born from great hardship — but they survived, conquered, and thrived.
JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter while in the throes of depression.
Dwayne Johnson’s mom attempted suicide in front of him when he was just a teen, and he’s suffered through depression many times in his life.
These are just a few examples of uber-successful people who overcame struggles to get to the top. There are many more, and if they could conquer this feeling of hopelessness, then you can too.
You have the power to turn your pain into something beautiful.
8. Practice Gratitude
We take so much for granted — our homes, running water, electricity, good health, sunshine…
Imagine these being stripped away from you. I bet you’d stop focusing on most of the problems that plague you.
Write down five things you’re grateful for every day. They can be small and seemingly insignificant things too.
When you appreciate what you have, you’ll be happier.
Related Post: 25 Things to Be Grateful for In Your Life Instead of Complaining
9. Believe That Better Days Are Coming
Time heals. What feels painful today will be just a thought tomorrow.
And where you are right now is not where you’re going to be stuck forever.
Believe that things will get better!
Related Post: 53 Better Days Are Coming Quotes
10. Pray
You might not be a religious or spiritual person, but there’s a divine power in the Universe that can’t be ignored.
When things get tough, turn to God or the Universe — become more spiritual.
When you move closer to the divine, you feel less lonely because your burdens are shared.
11. Take a Break from Your Phone
Phones might seem like a good distraction to escape life, especially when everything’s falling apart around you.
But it hurts you more.
Social media contains more misinformation and superficiality than anything else.
People post their “perfect” lives, making you feel insecure and more vulnerable. But their post is a half-truth or sometimes a complete lie. Everyone has their own struggles, and social media masks this.
Taking a break from your phone will help you become clear-headed and give you more time to heal.
Related Post: What to Do Instead of Going on Social Media (+40 Useful Things)
12. Adopt Healthy Coping Mechanisms
When life’s heavy, it’s natural to turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms like drugs, alcohol, sex, binge-scrolling through Instagram, etc.
These might be great forms of escapism in the short-term, but they’re harmful in the long-term.
Instead of following the “siren’s call,” adopt healthy diversions like reading, exercising, or having lots of tea.
13. Understand That Everything Happens for a Reason
And it’s always a good reason.
Of course, it doesn’t feel that way now. Everything seems bleak. But in a year or two, you’ll look back and understand why certain things had to happen.
Every struggle you face only makes you stronger. It’s necessary for growth.
14. Get Professional Help
I’m not a psychologist or medical expert; I’m just a girl who also felt like she couldn’t go on. I can only advise you based on my own experiences.
It’s worth seeking professional help if the methods in this post don’t work for you.
Final Thoughts
You’re only human, and it’s okay to feel the way you are. This period will only grow you into the person you were always meant to be.
Be patient with yourself, heal, grow, and repeat.