I Hate My Life: 7 Ways to Get Back on Track When You Hate Your Life

In the journey of life, there comes a time when everything seems to go against you, relationships end, sudden illness kicks in, friends move away, and issues at work escalate into a full-blown disaster.

In other words, your life sucks so much you start hating it.

However, everyone goes through tough times, what you do when you hit the ground is what matters. Sure, putting your life back together is easier said than done. However, it’s not impossible if you set your mind to it. All you need is a bit of self-encouragement.

I Hate My Life: What Do I Do?

Here are 7 ways that will help you in this regard.

1. Make Peace with the Present Circumstances

Accepting your present circumstances, irrespective of how bad they may seem, is the first step to getting your life back on track.

When you accept the present, you learn to calm your inner critic down. As your pessimistic inner voice fades away, you start recognizing your self-worth irrespective of your present circumstance.

You must learn to pay attention to your inner thoughts and desires. A deeper understanding of your emotions lets you control your response to the present circumstances.

  • Remember, bad things happen to people even if it’s not their fault. Stop saying “I just can’t believe it!” or “How can this happen to me” to yourself. Saying such things will complicate the acceptance of even the simplest facts in your life.
  • Don’t take things too personally. Even though it seems like everyone is secretly conspiring to make your life miserable, how people react may have very little to do with you. Everyone is busy confronting their own inner demons.
  • Don’t confuse acceptance with being happy about your circumstances. Accepting a situation doesn’t mean favoring it over a better alternative. Remember, you must always try to improve the situation if possible.
  • You are doing this for yourself, don’t expect others to lend a hand or be supportive. For once, you can and should put yourself ahead of others.
  • Don’t stop planning for a better future. Keep setting new goals and making new plans. Always try to make the most out of your present circumstances.
  • The journey to accepting things the way they are is often fraught with self-doubt and skepticism, you are likely to feel overwhelmed occasionally. So, take it easy, don’t let the stress get the better of you.

2. Take a Well-Planned Break

When your life becomes demanding, it leads to a lot of mental and physical stress. This stress can turn you into an irritable and grumpy person, pushing your loved ones and friends further away. The crabbier you become, the harder it gets to sail through the difficult times.

In other words, you need to replenish your mind. The easiest way is to get away from the stressful environment. Replenishing your mind makes you feel energized and rejuvenated, it also leads to increased productivity; you may even develop a new perspective towards life.

  • The first thing you need to do is get some extended leave from work. I have met a few people who quit their jobs to take a well-planned break for months (even years), I know other people who went on a trip to get away from the taxing environment.
  • Though spending a month doing absolutely nothing (but self-reflection) sounds tempting, not all of us have that kind of luxury. Nevertheless, you should at least try to spend a couple of days away from your personal and professional pursuits.
  • Travelling is the best way to connect with new people, forget about your problems, and rediscover yourself. If you are struggling financially, maybe you can take a short trip near your town or city.
  • Another great way to take a break is to disconnect from the digital space or go off the grid. Just make sure to tell your loved ones, friends, and colleagues that you will be off the grid for a day or two. Utilize this alone time to read, write, and do your favorite things, guilt-free.
  • You can also spend your time engaging in your favorite hobby or pastime such as reading, hunting, camping, or kayaking. In short, you can do anything that would take you away from your problems for a while and allow you to reflect on your inner self.

3. Don’t Beat Yourself up about the Past

Beating yourself up about your past mistakes and failures when your life is in absolute shambles is normal because humans, after all, are emotional creatures. However, if you continue to beat yourself up over the smallest things endlessly, you will soon end up bitter and depressed.

It will also impair your decision-making ability, worsening your present and your future. Just remember, everyone makes mistakes. While you can’t change your past, you can certainly choose how to respond to it.

  • Be kind to yourself. Treat yourself the way you would treat your loved ones. However, make sure your kindness doesn’t turn into self-pity.
  • Learn to let go of the past. Focus your attention on the present. Try to live in the moment and enjoy every bit of it.
  • Overthinking leads to negative self-talk. The more you pay attention to jabbing comments coming from your inner critic, the harder it becomes to break free from this vicious cycle, therefore, you need to concentrate on positive self-talk.
  • Whenever a negative thought comes to your mind, replace it with a positive one. One way to remove negative thoughts is to remember your accomplishments. Remembering your accomplishments will also help turn your attitude around and help you regain your confidence.
  • Take a step back. Try to look at the mistake from an observer’s point of view rather than a participant’s perspective. Take the emotions out of it, so it becomes less painful if you ever think about it.
  • You must recognize the bigger picture. You will soon realize that you have overcome similar situations in the past. If you have done it before, you can certainly do it again.

4. Start with Small Steps and Build Your Momentum

Bad things, it seems, like to run in packs. When they start striking one after another, you feel trapped. The overwhelming negativity eventually freezes you in fear. You become paranoid about making mistakes and possible failures.

The only way to get back your confidence is through action. Remember, it’s always possible to go on, no matter how impossible it seems, you just need to start somewhere until you get back the momentum in your life.

  • All big things have small beginnings. It is, therefore, essential to take that first small step with unwavering confidence. For example, if you want to improve your health, taking a walk every day would be the first small step.
  • The first step will be the hardest part. However, once you get into the rhythm, you will enjoy the journey ahead.
  • Make a to-do list with the most enjoyable things on top. You need to engage in something fun, as it will change your attitude towards monotonous and tiring tasks eventually.
  • You need the motivation to build the momentum. Identify what inspires you to get back your momentum. It can be anything from reading motivational self-love books and articles to volunteering for a charity. The key is to find something that will keep your momentum up 24/7.

5. Recreate Your Daily Routine for Inspiration and Success

When everything seems to go wrong, living the same routine over and over again can be depressing, especially if it keeps reminding you of your loss or failure. Therefore, you need to change your routine to spice up your life a little.

It will help you get out of the state of stagnancy and negativity. It will also make you energetic and healthy. However, most importantly, it will make you feel that you are in control of the situation.

  • The easiest way to recreate your routine is to incorporate a new habit into it. For example, if you are not an early riser, maybe you should think about developing a habit of getting up before sunrise.
  • You can either schedule the new habits into your calendar or tie them up with your existing routine. However, you need to create a rough draft of your new routine and commit to it at least for a couple of weeks. You may need to change a few things until you are very comfortable with it.
  • Though you can schedule new habits into your routine, make sure they are not disruptive. There should be no room for disturbances such as emailing, texting or surfing on social media.
  • Prepare your goals for the next day before going to bed. As you fall asleep, your mind will keep thinking about these tasks, stopping you from ruminating about your past failures and mistakes.

6. Find an Accountability Partner

Peer pressure is incredibly powerful, it can force people to do things they don’t like, that’s why it is considered a bad thing. However, on the flip side, it can act as a positive energy source to encourage good behavior. That’s precisely what an accountability partner does.

When occasionally you lack the motivation during your journey to get your life back on track, the accountability partner will keep you going by leveraging peer pressure for your self-improvement.

  • An accountability partner can be anyone who can give an honest account of your actions. It can be your spouse, parent, best friend, sibling, coach, therapist or even a colleague. However, he/she should be trustworthy.
  • Once you have found someone fit for the job, share your problems, goals, and specific actions you plan to take in this regard with him or her. Don’t hide anything from your partner. He/she not only needs to know your strengths but also your weaknesses.
  • Create a regular check-in schedule to decrease your odds of going off track. You can also set a communication channel such as text, video call or email. However, try to meet face to face at least once every two weeks to discuss your progress.
  • You must, however, keep in mind that it’s not your accountability partner’s job to get your life back on track, you have to do the heavy lifting. Avoid blaming your partner for failing to meet your goals at all costs.

7. Take Care of Your Health

Physical health and mental well-being go hand in hand. So, it is necessary to take care of your health, particularly during rough times. Make sure to balance the three most important aspects of a healthy body, namely sleep, diet, and exercise.

  • Your body needs rest irrespective of the vicissitudes of your life. Lack of sleep can lead to various ailments and reduce your concentration. So, create a regular sleep schedule and stick to it. An average adult human being needs around 8 hours of sleep every night.
  • Even the healthiest person needs a regular intake of nutrient-rich diet. Make sure to eat a healthy, fresh, and home cooked meal comprising of lots of fruits, veggies, grains, dairy, and meat (or alternatives if you are a vegetarian) every day.
  • Don’t give up on your workout regime if you already have one. If not, create one to keep yourself fit. You can go for a run, hit the gym, take yoga lessons or mediate. These practices will ensure a quick recovery from all the negativity.

Conclusion

Putting your life together can be a challenge, especially if you are going through emotionally tiring circumstances. In the beginning, you may struggle to loosen the grip of negativity. Though the path towards emotional and physical well-being is treacherous, the journey is well worth the efforts.

I hope that these 7 tips will give you the strength and guidance needed to get your life back on track as swiftly as possible.