Everyone feels burnt out and unable to carry on at some point in their lives. While it’s scary to be unable to think of a reason to keep going, know that this feeling won’t last forever. It doesn’t feel like it will ever go away, but eventually, it will lift. From family issues and social injustice to conditions like depression or burnout can leave you feeling like you don’t see the point of continuing.
However, there is always a reason to persist, heal, and eventually thrive. Regardless of how you feel, it’s crucial to understand that your feelings are valid. When things go wrong, it’s natural to feel low, but that doesn’t mean you have to stay down.
Remember, you always get to choose how you respond to your thoughts. Feelings like hopelessness won’t last forever, but taking your life is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Let’s get into detail regarding why you should stay on this beautiful, humbling, sometimes heartbreaking planet.
Consider Your Milestones
Technically, milestones measure progress toward an end goal, but sometimes they can contribute to mental stress. Not feeling like we’re where we need to be in life can lead to feelings of depression, sadness, and anxiety.
When it comes to milestones, it’s crucial to look at them as progress, not toward an end goal, but progress in general. While milestones can sometimes be a challenge, they may feel purposeful and accomplished.
When depression and feelings of sadness or hopelessness take hold, step back and take a good look at your milestones. They can be anything that creates a significant change in your life, such as a promotion, a big move, or becoming a parent. Learning to drive or cook are milestones as well.
Make a list of your milestones. Maybe expand and write down how you felt when you first surpassed a specific goal and how you feel about it now. You’ve done so much, and there’s so much left for you to do!
The Unexplored
One of the best things about human existence is unexplored, whether hiking intimidating mountain trails or discovering a new city or band that you enjoy. If you’re a curious person, you might want to know more about what’s “out there” for you, and you’ll never find it if you leave Earth too soon.
There is no limit to what discoveries might pop up in your lifetime. In this context, the word “discoveries” can mean anything, from NASA stumbling across otherworldly planets that can sustain human life to finding that you enjoy painting with watercolors in your retirement years.
When we wake up each morning, our day is entirely undiscovered. Don’t miss the chance to find it.
Your Undiscovered Potential
You have talents of which you are still unaware. People are walking this Earth that will one day come into your life and make a positive difference. You have no idea what the future holds, but you can be confident that it’s jam-packed with undiscovered potential.
If you’re in the least bit curious about who you might become, you’ll want to stick around to find out because it’s going to be good. Nobody knows the future, and this is often a source of anxiety. However, life brings endless opportunities to figure out what you love and the living components that make you who you are, such as a parent, athlete, activist, artist, or entrepreneur.
Live for what you hope others remember you for someday. You still have the chance to leave your mark and positively impact the world. You can help “be the change” if you’re not here.
What do you wish for others to remember about you? Indeed, it’s not that you left too soon. Give yourself the time to create impact and find passion in helping others. You never know; your influences could ripple for centuries.
Love and Human Connection
Regardless of what you’re going through (and as cliche as it sounds), love is always the answer. The connections that we forge with the people we care about the most can be an influential motivating factor to do and be better or to stay.
Humans have the beautiful ability to feel deep emotion, and while some of them are unpleasant (the ones you’re dealing with now), others are so incredible that they outweigh the unpleasant. For example, if you’ve recently gone through a depressive episode, think about the lightness in your entire body when you feel joy again.
Here’s a quick love and connection exercise. Think about the times when you’ve “clicked” with another person. It can be anyone, from a co-worker to a close cousin. How did it feel?
Life gives you the chance to prioritize the people you love, the ones that make you feel good, and offer understanding and compassion when you’re at your worst. These people would never abandon you, so make sure you return the favor. They’ll need you one day, and you’ll want to be there.
Your Animal Companions
Without question, animals are incredible. Research shows that positive interactions with pets can boost levels of oxytocin and dopamine, which are the brain chemicals that bring feelings of pleasure and connection. If you’ve ever loved an animal companion, you probably don’t need scientific evidence to show you the power of that love.
Pets are there for us when we need them the most. The type of animals you prefer to keep as pets is irrelevant, and you can form a bond with anything from a German Shepherd to a Leopard Gecko. It’s companionship more than anything else.
When you’re at your lowest, know that they love you, and you waking up and getting up (at least for a little while) the next day is inherent to their survival. The opportunities we’re given to connect with the animal life on our planet are something to celebrate.
Pets help make our lives worthwhile. Think of what your pets do for you daily. If you don’t have a pet, have you always wanted one? What kind? Maybe it’s time to think more about that path!
If pets aren’t your thing, consider keeping a bird feeder or putting out corn and peanuts for the chipmunks and squirrels. They’ll appreciate your efforts, and they’re so fun to watch.
Your Spirituality
If you see yourself as a spiritual being, chances are it brings you meaning and satisfaction. When feelings of depression and hopelessness hit, we can often lose touch with what our faith means to us, and it’s challenging to dig through those emotions.
When you’re stuck in a low spot, it’s vital to remember that it will not last forever. Your spirituality will be there for you when you’re ready to embrace it again fully, and clinging to that desire can often fuel the motivation fire.
There is a sacredness in every moment of our lives, but we won’t see it unless we’re looking. A connection with a higher power or force is essential for many people to adopt a greater meaning to the way they feel currently.
Are you spiritual? If so, what are your spiritual beliefs? How do they help you pull yourself back up again? Journal on this topic and see where you end up.
The Causes You Care About
You have your very own unique care and perspectives regarding the world. It’s possible to channel these passions and outlooks into a reason to get out of bed every day.
You might find joy in caring about the planet, the mental health of future generations, or rehoming pets. When you become involved in a way that helps others, you can better understand that we’re all trying to find our way. It’s rare for someone to have everything planned out, and even when they do, that plan doesn’t usually pan out just as they’d envisioned.
Change is necessary for survival, so don’t fear it. Instead, use it to find your passions in places you wouldn’t have looked before and find that spark that will help you make a difference.
Lifting Others Up
If there’s one thing that’s certain when it comes to mental health struggles, it’s the fact that you are not alone. Someone out there feels the same way you do, searching for reasons to keep going. Someday, you might get the chance to encourage someone to keep going as they stand in the same mental space that you’re standing in right now.
The opportunity to lift others is the chance to make a real difference. Letting others know that they aren’t alone regarding their mental struggles is life-saving work, and that’s the bottom line.
Unfulfilled Hopes and Dreams
Before you sunk into this temporary lower space of mental existence, you had hopes and dreams that drove you. What a shame it would be if you left those unfinished! While your adult hopes and dreams probably look much different from your childhood, what are your current hopes that you have yet to act on?
Hope is one of the forces that drive us to keep going. Even in the darkest hours, there is always a glimmer of hope. It can be as small as hoping tomorrow is better. Don’t be afraid to cling to hope and feed into it because it will flourish if you give it enough attention.
Prove Your Naysayers Wrong
Few things will bring you down quite like a naysayer. While spite shouldn’t drive your recovery, a little bit of it can add a layer of motivation. If anyone has ever questioned your ability or doubted you, it can be satisfying to prove them wrong.
Use your doubters as a cause to get up instead of the reason you stay in bed. You know deep down that they’re wrong, and it’s time to show them why. You don’t have to throw back the covers and take on the world in one day because baby steps will efficiently bring you to your endgame.
Creativity and Imagination
Without your thoughts, you probably wouldn’t feel so sad, low, hopeless, depressed, or anxious. The bad news is that we can’t control our thoughts, but we can use creativity and imagination to manage how we respond to those thoughts. One of the most brilliant human qualities is the capacity for creativity.
By exercising our imaginations and creative power, we can find joy and relief in the stream of non-stop negative thoughts that illnesses like depression can bring. If you’re struggling with your creativity, consider witnessing it in others for now, through music, art, literature, and film.
The things we consider remarkable were born of a single thought. That’s how much power our thoughts have. However, what would happen if you dipped your toes in the creativity pool and changed your thinking? Instead of “this is hopeless,” go with “I can find hope today.” Try it just ten minutes at a time and see how this creativity flex helps you feel.
The Chance to Find Your People
Loneliness is a killer. As many of us found during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, feeling isolated is detrimental to our health. Life can grow dull and outright depressing when there’s (seemingly) no one you can relate to or share interests with.
If you feel you haven’t met your people yet, you are not alone. Many people think this way, and there is a high chance they’re looking for you too! Enhanced virtual human connection is one of the best things from the global pandemic. We can now easily connect with people worldwide, so finding someone local who shares your interests isn’t as hard as you think!
Your Own Hero’s Journey
A concept that originated from 20th-century professor Joseph Campbell, the hero’s journey is what causes the hero (in this story, it’s you) to embark on the mission that changes them forever. Where are you on your hero’s journey?
Like most humans, you probably feel like you’re on Earth to do something great, but you’re unsure what it is or where to start. Perhaps you’re already well on your way through your hero’s journey, but you’ve come to an impossible obstacle.
Wherever you are on your journey, you must continue to answer the call. As many of the great stories tell us, it can lead to a more robust and happier sense of self.
Uncontrollable Laughter
Uncontrollable laughter is an absolute life luxury. Think about when the last time was that you laughed until your stomach hurt, doubled over, tears rolling down your face. You are destined for more of those good times. Even though it seems a lifetime away right now, that part of you is still there and much closer than you realize.
There are reasons that laughter feels so good. Research tells us that laughing can help alleviate stress, stimulate endorphins, and enhance our connection with others. If you can’t find a reason to laugh today, try faking it until you make it, as there’s absolutely no shame in that, and your brain won’t know the difference.
The Childhood Spark
Children are entirely absorbed in whatever they’re doing, and you were once the same way. You can easily invite that feeling of being completely present back into your life by practicing simple mindfulness or meditation exercises.
You can start by choosing an activity that sounds like pure fun, whether walking in the park or planning a future vacation. Set aside an hour this afternoon and let yourself become completely lost in the activity. Use your senses to feel (or imagine) everything around you.
Connection with Those Who Came Before You
Human history is far from perfect, but it’s incredible to think about how you came from an unbroken line of humans before you, who worked hard every day to ensure that you could be here. Reflecting on the trials and triumphs of your ancestors can bring a feeling of comfort.
Nature
Nature is a significant motivator for many people. If you have a favorite spot to take in the beauty of nature, you should visit that spot often, even on the days you don’t feel well mentally. Take a moment to think about the pieces of nature you’re a part of through your presence on Earth.
Humans experience panoramic ocean views, tropical beaches with crystal clear water, serene mountain trails rich with oxygen, and forests full of wildlife and daily miracles. This is what it’s all about!
Sex, Adrenaline, and Music
Oh my! There’s no doubt that these three components are influential factors in human existence. In addition to pleasure, sex allows us to connect with others differently, exploring our bodies and our psyches.
Adrenaline doesn’t have to come from only skydiving and rollercoasters (while we’re on the topic, sex with someone you love can provide that rush as well). Still, calculated risks are a super way to emphasize adrenaline, and they can foster feelings of connection, happiness, and excitement.
Music gives us the power to relate to something outside of ourselves, identify with the melody, and feel a lyrical connection. Music has served this very purpose for millennia, amplifying joy within reality and assisting with mood and stress improvement.
The Emotions and Sensations Meant for You
Living isn’t always easy, and it’s very personal. Every journey is different, but if we leave before we’re meant to, we miss out on the emotions and sensations of life that are conveyed only to us. The aspects that make our perspectives unique make this life so worthwhile.
There are so many good reasons to stay. Even when it seems impossible to put one foot in front of the other, know you came here for a reason, so make it count.
