5 Things to do When Life Doesn’t Go Your Way

Did you know that lemons are not naturally occurring? They’re a hybrid of citron and bitter orange. This basically means that life giving you lemons is life giving you an unnaturally occurring situation, right?

If you were born into the human race, chances are that many things have turned out drastically different than how you planned. If, on the off chance, everything in your life has gone 100% according to plan, feel free to exit out. If you’re like the rest of the world, keep reading. Here’s my top five things to do when your life doesn’t go how you planned.

1. Take a deep breath.

Taking a deep breath is soothing, calming, and centering. It turns out, there’s a lot of science to prove the benefits too. According to Scientific American, “These techniques influence both physiological factors (by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system) and psychological factors (by diverting attention from thoughts).” “The method was developed based on the understanding that slow, deep breathing increases the activity of the vagus nerve, a part of the parasympathetic nervous system; the vagus nerve controls and also measures the activity of many internal organs.” Studies have shown that taking regular deep breaths helps reduce anxiety and symptoms of insomnia. What do you have to lose? This technique is free.

(https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/proper-breathing-brings-better-health/)

2. Drink some water

Speaking from experience of getting severe anxiety migraines, one of my strongest recommendations is to drink a tall glass of water. Dehydration can be a huge stresser, and let’s be honest… chances are high that we’re all a bit dehydrated. Take a couple minutes of self-care time and soak in all that moisture.

3. Count your blessings

As cheesy as it sounds, writing down or saying out loud things that you’re grateful for can give you a major happy boost. If I’m having a rotten day, I’ve found that writing down at least five things in my life that I’m greatly blessed with almost instantly makes the day just a little bit better. I’ll practice right now.

My sweet husband who goes out of his way to selflessly love me.

My cute schnauzer, Barbara. She’s the snuggliest.

Access to foods that meet my dietary restrictions.

The ability to work online.

The right to be a part of society.

4. Cultivate something

This has been a massive help for me over the dumpster fire often referred to as “2020.” I’ve gained a love for houseplants, healing my curly hair, and learning to cook. Cultivating a new interest or hobby can greatly improve your mental and possibly even physical health. It can be a great distraction from current events and can be excellent motivation to keep going and stay strong.

5. Journal it out

Fair warning, you can learn a lot about yourself through journaling, and you might not be fond of everything you see. Journaling has been a cathartic method for me to discover beliefs and thought-processes that were clearly wrong or even harmful for me to hold onto. Penning my thoughts has also helped me heal from a lot of brokenness and give me a private and therapeutic outlet to break free from my past. It helps if you have a journal that brings you joy. If you purchase said journal from any small business… also helpful.

As we near an impending second civil war here in the United States, my recommendations are as follows: be on the right side of history… don’t make the same mistakes so many did the first time. Follow these tips to avoid as much trauma as you can. Invest in a good therapist… because you will inevitably have some serious trauma anyway. May the odds be ever in your favor, I guess.