Tough times call for tough people, but that doesn’t mean you need to harden yourself to the world. Focus on mindfulness instead. The tips you find here make it easier for you to handle difficult seasons in your life by celebrating the small victories and gaining some insight into what is happening around you.
You don’t need to try all these things at once. Comment, share your opinions, and bookmark this post so that you have a reference for hard times. You’re stronger than you know, and you will find your strength in these simple suggestions.
Make a Daily Schedule—Set Goals
Create a daily schedule of all your work, recreational activities, and leisure time. At times, you cannot stick to this schedule, but you have a list of all the things you need to do. By keeping a calendar, you can adjust your goals throughout the week. Check off each goal so that you can feel the sense of satisfaction one gets from a job well done.
Only Complete Simple Tasks
Try to complete only simple tasks so that you do not get too bogged down in the minutia of every little thing. If you feel like something is too complex to do, break it into smaller parts. You do not even need to do all these tasks consecutively.
If you are unsure of when to divide tasks into smaller pieces, let your anxiety guide you—if the project feels too big for today, it probably is. There is no need to push through when you can complete one task now and another later.
Take a Step Back for Perspective
You may start to feel down on yourself, and one of the best things you can do for yourself is create a list of your most positive traits. Be honest with yourself. If you need help, call a friend who can tell you all about the wonderful things that are in you.
Without this simple step back, it is impossible to press forward. As you start to feel more confident, make a list of your weaknesses. Think of this as a simple list for self-improvement. As before, focus on one small task at a time, improving yourself little by little.
Stop Worrying About the Future
As you worry about the future, you are robbing yourself of peace in the present. While it is impossible to forget the past or change the future, you can focus on the things that make today better. Look back at your list of goals, choose something that makes it easier to get through the day, and keep doing that as much as you can.
You will find that doing something good for yourself accumulates over time until you are in the place you want to be. It might take a while, but it works every time.
Try to Learn Something New Every Day
Do your best to learn something new every day. You might feel like the world is attacking you with criticism, but you can try to turn their ire into insight. Think about a criticism you received today—even if it’s not very fair, you can adapt based on that criticism.
If you are receiving unfair criticism, focus on how to move past the people that offer said criticism. By doing this, you will surround yourself with people who are honest but loving.
In your free time, enlighten yourself with the things that you want to learn. You can download a language app and learn Spanish because you always promised yourself you would. Scroll through a Wikipedia page that you always wanted to read, watch a documentary in your spare time, and share all the things you learned with friends and family.
Try Some Self-Care
Yes, you want to learn something new every day, but you should reward yourself with some self-care. Take a yoga class, take a hot bath, meditate with your crystals. Do anything that makes you feel better. You set your goals, got some perspective, and learned something new—now you can reinforce those things in a positive way.
Make a List of Things You’re Grateful For
Sit down every day and spend just a few moments writing the things you are grateful for. You are focusing on the positive things in your life—you are celebrating the small victories. For example, that nice person who let you jump in front of them to get gas yesterday—be thankful for that. You finally got your laundry done yesterday—be thankful. Nothing is too small to celebrate.
Enjoy Something Special Every Day
Aside from the things that you are grateful for, you should enjoy something that is special. This is a simple way to experience the goodness in the world—drink that special bottle of wine, put that fun sticker on your phone case, or use your father’s fountain pen to write in your journal.
Like Agent Cooper said, “Harry, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Everyday, once a day, give yourself a present.”
Not only can you change your life, but you can make mindfulness a part of your daily routine. It will become second-nature—it changes your lifestyle. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and those first steps are right here for the taking. Use these tips to center yourself, make changes, and feel confident going into the day ahead.