When Did Life Get So Hard? 10 Reasons Why & What to do …

1. When you stopped believing you are worthy – and quit taking inspired action. Tune into what you value about being you and write it out. Give yourself credit. If you don’t see it, who will? Dig deep into your core self and embrace what matters most.

2. When hardship took over – and you stopped leading with your heart. You gave up your power and lost trust that things will get better. Like a Tsunami of overwhelming emotion, things may seem unbearable now but, this too shall pass.

3. When you started avoiding, numbing, or ignoring the pain – you dampened the opposite, too – joy, love, & positivity. You must tolerate the darkness to see the stars.

4. When you forgot the glass was beautiful – not half full nor half empty – whole regardless of its contents. Practice open awareness and acceptance. Stop judging yourself and others.

5. When you stopped feeling gratitude – and only noticed the negatives. Gratitude creates a mindset of abundance. It changes neural pathways and the attitude you apply to everything. Notice what you would miss if you didn’t already have it. Pause. Reflect.

6. When you stopped cultivating self compassion –  nurture YOU. Soothe yourself. Forgive yourself. Be flexible, patient, and kind to yourself. Treat yourself like a friend.

7. When your expectations weren’t met – you hoped for something different than what you got. Suffering comes from wishing things were different. Enjoy the journey. Every bit of experience changes you and helps you grow. Find the nugget of wisdom in everything.

8. When you stopped claiming your life as your own – everything and everybody else’s needs took priority. You forgot say, “No.” and ended up feeling taken for granted. Know and assert your boundaries.

9. When you stopped noticing the natural beauty around you. Just looking at a tree and experiencing a sense of awe and wonder for a moment takes you out of your head and into the moment. It measurably reduces anxiety and worry.

10. When you started believing the cruel things others said about you. We naturally notice negatives in our environment. It’s kept us alive as a species since the beginning of our time. So you have to work harder to consider the positives. Question and refute tired messages. You don’t have to hold onto them.

Photos courtesy of Aleksa D, Gualberto107, and dan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net, and Mark Robert Turner.