8 Things To Do To Stop Feeling Discouraged

The struggle was real this week, trying to think of a topic to write about. A number of ideas crossed my mind, but nothing stood out to me. After I passed my weekly deadline of when I should have already started writing, I felt frustrated. I mean, why was nothing interesting coming to me? I covered topics that hit close to home. Is that all? Is this where my blog would be coming to an end? I felt a rush of discouragement…followed by an epiphany. That’s what I’m going to write about! We have all been there at one point in our lives. Most of us are there often. And once you fall in, it can be hard to get out. It is something that we brush under the rug as no big deal, yet when we’re in it, we get so frustrated. Yes, I’m talking about feeling discouraged. It is so easy to let those negative thoughts in, but so hard to get out of the rut. Here are 8 things that you can do to get off that road to discouragement and onto a path of motivation. 1. Ask God for guidance. I put this as the first point because it’s very important to me. Sometimes you can’t do things alone, and it's okay to ask for help. There is no one I trust more than God. We as human beings see things two-dimensionally, but God sees everything three-dimensionally. So why not trust in a higher power that knows how things will play out even before you do, and who wants the best for you?

2. Get the negative thoughts out of your head. Discouragement stems from having doubt in ourselves and our capabilities to achieve that which we desire. What better way to get rid of discouragement than to remove all of the negative thoughts that are flying around in our minds! First, you have to tell yourself that the negativity is not going to help you get to your goals. Next, try to think positive thoughts. List characteristics or traits about yourself that you are most proud of, and brainstorm ways you can apply them to get to where you want to be. 3. Don’t let your ego get in the way.

Let's face it: we all have some sort of ego, especially when it comes to something we take pride in. So when something bad happens to threaten our ego, it is the first one to go down with the ship. It’s easy to doubt yourself to avoid the possibility of failure. And looking for glory and attention will hurt your chances for success. Try thinking of your proudest moments and achievements to give you a boost. It will help you realize all that you are capable of, and hopefully set you on the right track. 4. Stop comparing yourself to others. Some of us do this naturally, and we tend to be too hard on ourselves. It’s easy to see someone who has what you are working towards, and when life throws a stick in your path, it’s hard to see the other end. It’s good to use other’s successes to self-motivate, but once you start beating yourself up, it becomes detrimental to your confidence. It’s best to understand that everyone’s situation is different, and you don’t know what other people did to get to where they are. You are unique, and God has a special path for you to take so that you can be the best version of yourself. 5. Talk out your feelings/frustrations to a mentor or someone you trust. There is nothing wrong with asking for help; in fact, seeking help and advice is the very thing that helps you grow as an individual. It shows that you’re willing to do what you need to do in order to get back to where you once were. What better way than to talk to someone you trust, whose opinion and advice matter to you. After all, they care about you and are on your side as well. Their guidance could help you break out of discouragement and back to where you need to be. 6. Concentrate on the things that make you happy or motivate you. Sometimes the things that we enjoy can be the boost we need to feel motivated to reach our goals. For some people, being the best they can be for their family is what they need as motivation. For others, the desire to get to the end result is encouragement enough to get back on the horse and keep trying. Whichever it may be, focus on it and let it motivate you to get to your end result. 7. Post positive messages in places you pass by every day. When I feel down and I happen to read something encouraging, it gives me a glimmer of hope and I start to feel better about my situation. Most of the time, people tend to feel less discouraged when they are constantly reading encouraging messages. Write positive and inspirational phrases on sticky notes (or to get creative, draw them on printer paper or poster boards) and put them up in places that you know you will see them. Some places you can post them in are on the bathroom mirror, in the dashboard of your car, in your cubicle wall, etc. The more, the merrier. After you do this, you’ll be forced to read them and eventually memorize them. Before you know it, you’ll be motivated to succeed. 8. Take steps to get back on track. Once you start feeling discouraged, one thing leads to another, and before you know it, you’ve gotten off course. Get back on the path towards your goals by taking steps into that direction. For instance, if you’re trying to go back to school but lost motivation, take a look at the course catalog and read up on classes that interest you. Or if you’re trying to work hard towards a promotion but feel like nothing you do will get you there, continue doing what you’re doing and hope for the best. The main focus is to get back to what you were doing before you felt discouraged. Keep in mind that even though your heart may not be in it, you’re doing what you need to do to get where you want to be. Achieving your goals is hard work, so do what you need to do to take steps towards success.

You don’t have to follow all of these steps. Take and apply the ones that fit best for your situation. The hardest part is making the decision to stop feeling discouraged and to get back on track. Once you have that, then getting out of it will be the easy part, and in no time, you’ll stop feeling discouraged and back to where you want to be.