- 1. Let yourself feel frustrated — but don’t get trapped in it
- 2. Shift into gratitude — even for the small things
- 3. Focus on practical steps, not endless analysis
- 4. Remember: This is temporary. A new day is coming
- 5. Ask yourself: What’s going right in my life?
- 6. Treat setbacks as teachers
- 7. Accept that bad days happen
- 8. Express what you’re carrying
- 9. Move your body
“When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.”
— Harriet Beecher Stowe
Life isn’t always sunshine and smooth sailing.
Sometimes it feels downright heavy — like nothing is working out, despite your best efforts.
We’ve all had days (or even weeks and months) where we think, “Why does my life suck right now?”
It’s a discouraging place to be — but it’s also a human part of life.
The good news? You’re not stuck.
Here are practical things you can do when life feels overwhelming, frustrating, or simply “off.”
1. Let yourself feel frustrated — but don’t get trapped in it
Frustration is a natural response when things keep going wrong.
Instead of burying or denying the emotion, acknowledge it.
But don’t stay there.
When my thoughts start spiraling, I bring myself back to the present moment:
Breathing exercise: Sit still, close your eyes, and focus on slow, deep belly breaths for 1–2 minutes.
Awareness exercise: Spend a minute noticing the sounds, scents, textures, and movement around you.
These small grounding practices calm the mind and help you think more clearly again.
2. Shift into gratitude — even for the small things
When life feels terrible, your mind naturally zooms in on everything that’s going wrong.
Gratitude helps zoom back out.
Ask yourself:
“What are three simple things I can still be grateful for today?”
My go-tos include:
Having a warm home
Access to clean water
Not going hungry
Moments of nature
People I care about
Small gratitude resets create big emotional shifts.
3. Focus on practical steps, not endless analysis
It’s easy to spend 80% of your energy replaying what went wrong — and only 20% figuring out how to move forward.
Try flipping those numbers.
Spend more time identifying small, doable steps that can make your situation even a tiny bit better.
Progress — even small progress — brings back confidence.
4. Remember: This is temporary. A new day is coming
Bad days don’t last forever.
Neither do bad weeks.
Tomorrow offers a fresh start — a chance to take new action, create new momentum, and see things with clearer eyes.
Reminding yourself that “this moment is not permanent” can bring unexpected relief.
5. Ask yourself: What’s going right in my life?
When life feels awful, the mind tends to filter reality through a dark lens.
But even during tough seasons, there are always things — even small ones — that are still going well.
Last time I felt overwhelmed, asking this question helped me see that:
My business was still stable
My health habits were still solid
I still had uplifting moments recently
Focusing on what’s working helps balance your perspective.
6. Treat setbacks as teachers
It may sound cliché, but setbacks often carry lessons you’ll use later.
Avoiding failure completely usually leads to fear, overthinking, and stagnation.
Instead, ask:
“What’s one thing I can learn from this?”
“How can I adjust my approach going forward?”
This mindset turns setbacks into stepping stones.
7. Accept that bad days happen
No matter how positive your habits are, bad days are still part of the journey.
And that’s okay.
Accepting that life has ups and downs helps you avoid chasing perfection — and makes challenges easier to navigate without panic or self-judgment.
8. Express what you’re carrying
Holding everything inside tends to magnify problems.
Let it out through:
✔ Talking to someone
Sometimes you just need to vent, connect, or get perspective.
A supportive listener makes everything feel less overwhelming.
✔ Journaling
Writing down your thoughts releases emotional pressure and helps you see solutions more clearly.
9. Move your body
When thinking your way out doesn’t work, try moving instead:
Take a walk
Go to the gym
Play a sport
Stretch
Dance
Physical movement reduces tension, refreshes your mind, and often softens the emotional weight you’re carrying.