There will be many times in a person’s life where they start to question life and its complexity. The future seems uncertain, you feel unsure and gloomy sometimes, and there’s a rut that you can’t get out of. All of these things start ganging up on you over time. With so much affecting you, you blame your life for causing you all this distress.

As teenagers, or young adults, when you start feeling this way it becomes difficult to conjure the will to do anything. Heartbreak, financial trouble, illnesses, death in the family, listlessness, are all situations that serve as obstacles to you moving forward.

In the face of all of this, you may feel like life is not worth living. This hatred and frustration for life will make it difficult for you to do anything, even if you really want to.

Since you’re reading this article you have probably come here looking for answers. You want to feel hopeful again and to turn this situation around. Well then, let’s get cracking. Here are some handy tips, and options that you could make use of to help yourself. Let us begin:

1. Comparisons are only useful while shopping

All experienced shoppers know that comparing two pieces of the same product will get you the best price. They have no qualms about rushing from one shop to the next, comparing product prices, and then buying it for a cheap price.

This method of comparison also seems to have injected its way into our culture. Instead of comparing two objects we tend to make social comparisons.

Instagram, Snapchat, and most social media sites serve as reminders that there are so many talented, gorgeous, and intelligent people out there. This might lead you to start comparing yourself to others, and that’s when you can go into a downward spiral. It’s easy to forget our own unique qualities when we get caught up with the qualities of others.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to take a step back from all of this. Rather than worrying about what you don’t have, you should spend more time thinking about your gifts, talents, and capabilities. The more you build yourself up, the better it will be for your confidence.

Soon, you will be confident enough to take over the world. When you do, spare me!

2. A new hobby may turn out to be your calling

Day in and day out you spend your time doing the same things and following the same routine. The familiarity of this sequence can start to get boring. It’s time for you to try something new.

Getting a new hobby can be your ticket to many new experiences. A hobby is a simple, and an effective way to get you all fired up without taking up too much of your time.

Who knows, maybe this hobby could turn out to be a good career option for you! So, to get you started, here are some inexpensive and interesting hobbies that you can try out at your leisure.

3. Journaling is the way to go

Diaries, blogs, and scrapbooks have existed since time immemorial. They serve as a place for you to call your own, away from snoopy aunties and gossiping friends. A place where you can spill your feelings and pen down whatever you need to say.

Journaling can help you work through your emotions by sticking pictures, or by drawing your experiences, or just writing down what you feel at the moment. It’s up to you to get creative with it.

After all, when they start writing your biography, all the material will be easily available.

4. Out with the old, in with the new

As human beings with emotions, we love to hoard things that have sentimental value. It could be an old shirt that you keep convincing yourself that you will wear. Maybe old love letters that you like to read and shudder at.

All these objects, and even memories of past events can keep us anchored to the past. We all have different reasons for holding on to them, but one of the main reasons we do so is that they remind us of simpler times.

Sometimes it is necessary to let go of these relics. By holding on to these things we keep ourselves rooted in what has already happened, and we focus less on what will happen.

Clearing out your drawer full of sentimental knick-knacks can help you finally achieve some peace of mind.

5. Respond to nature’s call

Nature is beautiful; it’s full of vigor and life. All around us, there are trees growing, flowers blooming, and greenery calling to us.

As we get caught up in our schedules, appointments, and responsibilities, we lose focus on the beauty around us.

The simplest thing you can do for your health, and to boost your mood is to take up gardening. No, you don’t have to suddenly convert your home into a greenhouse. You can start small and plant a few flowering plants. Each new shoot, every bud that opens up into a flower, or the way a creeper manages to intertwine around anything will fill you with so much pride.

Never mind if you don’t have a green thumb if you lack patience or even time to care for a plant. We’ve got your back with some low-maintenance plants that you can care for.

6. Exercise can build you up

Just the mention of working out can make people groan. When speaking of exercise one often immediately thinks about hardcore gym training or marathon-like workouts. Exercising doesn’t have to be like that.

When you feel low or stuck in a rut, it helps to get your blood pumping and your mind active. You can choose activities that interest and excite you. Swimming, jogging, hula-hooping, dancing, or playing a sport are all fun ways to get a workout done.

Don’t force yourself to do something that leaves you feeling even more pressure than before. Find your fun exercise and dance your stress away, literally.

7. A great book can transport you to a whole new world

Remember when Aladdin took Jasmine on a magic carpet ride and sang ‘A Whole New World’ to her? For most of us, that dream of being able to explore new worlds and go on exciting adventures has always been out of reach. Unless you manage to snag yourself an Aladdin, that’s not going to happen.

There is another way that you can take yourself to somewhere new without having to book an expensive trip. Books can do that for you!

Taking up a new book is like entering a different dimension. Some days you’re helping a cop with an investigation, other days you’re on an alien planet, sometimes you’re on an animal farm watching animals take over. Whatever the book is about, it takes your mind off reality for a while. In moments where your mind is wandering and reliving different incidents, a good book can provide you with a useful distraction.

Go ahead, pick up a new book, take a whiff, and dive right in.

8. Take up an interesting course

All of us often get caught in the quicksand that is boredom. With nothing new to do or pique your interest, you’re forced to use and re-use whatever is around you.

When you start feeling useless and find yourself sleeping-away the day, then it’s time to take up something new. There are many companies that offer short and interesting courses for people to take part in.

These courses can range from learning mixology, pottery classes, dressmaking, or quilling courses. Whatever you decide to pick you’ll surely not get bored. It might also be a chance for you to connect with new people and develop new interests.

So get out of your comfort zone and try out some of these weird courses.

9. Learn to declutter

Our messy emotions can often lead to even messier environments. Stressing over this and tension about that can lead us to neglect the things that have piled-up around us.

When our immediate environment is messy then it becomes harder for us to focus, and might even contribute to our increasing stress.

This is where decluttering comes in. You can start this process by putting away the things that you don’t need right now. This simple process can make you feel so much lighter, and give you space to reflect on the things that are bothering you.

A tiny bit of mess is good, but once it starts building up it can very easily become a gargantuan pile of junk that taunts you whenever you walk into the room.

10. Curate your environment from scratch

Every day you are bombarded with stimuli. Social media, newspapers, and the people around us provide us with all kinds of information whether we were looking for it or not. This information-overload can mess with us over time.

But, what if there is a way that you could control what kind of information you are exposed to.

There is a way to do so, and that is by curating your environment. Cutting out harmful sources of information is a start. You can also actively surround yourself with people and sources that share your viewpoints.

By taking charge of your atmosphere, you begin to feel more in control of your life. You may hate your life for its uncertainty, but you might end up loving it more as you build it back up.

11. Paws for a cause

Surrounding yourself with fur babies is the next best thing you can do for your mental health. Animal therapy is absolutely necessary for someone who wishes to take some steam off. What if there was a way to be around pets and also support a good cause?

Hooray for you! There are many organizations for animals that let you support their cause by interacting with the animals. Caring for animals-in-need will also make you feel like you are a part of something bigger than yourself!

Get going today for some animal therapy and paws for a good cause. Here are a few ways that you can make a difference in the lives of animals.

12. Score a new perspective with a good goal

Goal setting is a word that conjures images of making a study plan before exams and then abandoning it within two weeks. We all have the tendency to set goals for ourselves. Like that January goal of yours where you planned on losing weight for sure this time.

Whatever our goal is, it directs our focus to something substantial. In a time when you feel aimless and frustrated, a goal can help you feel in control of the situation.

When you set a goal, start small. Every little goal that you accomplish will help you to gain more confidence in your ability.

Start with the simple goal of brushing your teeth, every night before bed, for the next 30 days. This goal will be easy to follow and your dentist will cry with relief.

13. Mail yourself a letter

Many people hate their lives and find it extremely hard to move past this intense feeling. They struggle with it and feel confused that they’re unable to experience any catharsis. What to do in such a case?

A small way to experience an emotional release is to write yourself a letter. Hold on, you don’t need any paper or stamps for this. There’s a website called Futureme.org that allows you to send letters to your future self.

You can write letters to your future self, either, one, six, or twelve months into the future, and even longer if you can be patient enough. This act of writing out your current emotions can help you to work through the mess of emotions you are experiencing. It can be something for you to keep looking forward to, as well as lead to some self-reflection.

14. Take a stand for important issues

Once you get caught up in your own problems, you tend to forget that there are many things going on in the world that you haven’t taken notice of.

This is a place that you can lend your voice to. You can take a stand for political issues, feminism, the LGBTQ community, and so much more. By taking an active role in such events you will feel like you are a part of something bigger than yourself. Having your voice heard will help you to realize how much you actually matter.

So don’t be afraid to start small and have big opinions!

15. Put the building-blocks of your career in place

If you’re looking for something productive to do, working on your career is a great option. There are many productive courses and workshops out there that will earn you a certificate and keep you occupied.

These workshops can teach you valuable information, that will help you gain experience, and take your career further. They also make you feel productive and stop you from feeling complacent.

Choose an interesting course, sign up for it, and then let your friends know how well you are utilizing your time.

16. Procrastination can limit your path

Too much to do, too little time, so what you do you? Procrastinate of course! Procrastination is when you decide to do something tomorrow instead of today, and we all know the saying, ‘tomorrow never comes.’

So why procrastinate in the first place? Sometimes all the little tasks that we have to do, seem too easy so we keep them for later. Later on, when the deadline is approaching the task begins to seem daunting and it becomes harder to start it. Everybody falls into this trap some time or the other.

Despite the fact that it seems like all your tasks are ganging up on you, it is time to be brave. Pick a task and work at it. The more you chip away at the small parts, the easier it becomes for you to work past this barrier.

You’re probably not going to follow this advice so easily. So, to get you on track here is a short video on ‘How to Stop Procrastinating’.

17. Let music mend your soul

Create a playlist, actually, make five! Music is one of the best methods for you to experience your emotions completely. What do I mean by that?

Well, simply put, music enables catharsis. Say you decide to create a playlist full of sad songs. You can listen to this when you are feeling distressed or low and as each song plays it will take you through what you are feeling.

Just like that, listening to music can also calm you down. It has the capability to energize you, excite you, make you sad, make you think, and even make you happy.

Just give it a try. Plug your headphones in and keep the world at bay.

18. Understand, unfriend, and unfollow

Social media is a boon for us because it connects us to all the people in our life. From family, to close friends, to acquaintances, everyone can update themselves with what we are doing. Likewise, we also see status updates, posts, Facebook rants, and Twitter updates of the people we know.

This social media web can get to be very annoying after a while. Annoyances could arise in the form of too many posts by someone, selfies by a friend that gives you FOMO, and other such situations online that you can’t avoid.

When you realize that you are being affected by this update-lifestyle, then it’s time for you to take some action.

You could unfollow a person if they are getting to be too annoying.

Some websites have privacy settings that can help you stop seeing posts from a certain person, without letting them know.

Instagram recently added a mute button, so be sure to use that!

If all else fails, you can talk to the person and let them know how much this is affecting you. Let’s be honest though, you probably won’t do that.

19. Take some time for you

We often get caught up in the demands of our friends, family, school, or work. With so much to do and all these requests to keep-up with, you feel drained and have no time to be yourself.

It’s wonderful to be selfless and want to care for those around us, but in order to help others, we must first care for ourselves.

Self-love is a wonderful gift to give to yourself. You can go for a short trip to a beautiful place. Maybe treat yourself to dinner at a fancy restaurant. Take a long bath to soothe your body. All of these little things that you do for yourself, can help clear your mind.

20. Take every opportunity to talk

It is really difficult to struggle with something on your own. It has become a habit in society for people to keep their feelings to themselves and to pretend that they are fine even when they are at their breaking point. With this mentality, everyone feels scared and nervous about reaching out for help.

Fortunately, there are safe, and confidential helplines that you can call, where your voice will be heard. Helplines like Samaritans Mumbai provide anonymous and confidential services to those that need it. Rather than probe you for more information or gossip-worthy details their main focus is the way that you feel.

Here, your feelings are valued, and you are allowed to give-voice-to your distress. This is a very valuable source that you can make use of whenever you feel like it.

So, pick up the phone today, and start talking!

All of these pointers can only take you so far. They aren’t meant to be taken as advice, but rather as small steps for you to get yourself back on your path.

If you find yourself struggling constantly then you can always reach out to a professional because your mental health is as serious as your physical health. Don’t be afraid to get help for yourself.

You hate your life. No, what? The choice is yours, so make a good one.