11 Simple But Powerful Ways to Help Yourself When You Feel Broken | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

11 Simple But Powerful Ways to Help Yourself When You Feel Broken

Sometimes helping yourself is the only way to heal.

44
11 Simple But Powerful Ways to Help Yourself When You Feel Broken
Huffington Post

There will come a time when you feel battered, bruised, broken, and lost. It will not be enough to have others tell you, "it's okay" or "you'll get over it." The things that used to make you smile may no longer provide you with the same joy they once did. Sometimes, it seems like nothing will make you feel whole again. This list is for those times when you feel there is nothing left to smile about.


1. Write down everything you're grateful for.

The happiest people are the most grateful! List them out by hand and keep going until you've thought of every minor detail...every object, friend, opportunity, privilege, and things about yourself you could not imagine a world without. After I finished my list, I had never felt better. It really opened my eyes to just how lucky I am to be who I am and have what I do!


2. Write down everything you want in your life in the present tense.

Make sure to include every detail and be specific about exactly what you would want if you were to be given it at any moment. Pretend you're ordering your ideal life online! Who would you be with? Where would you be living? What is your career? Are you traveling? Keep it in the present tense, as if it were your current life.


3. Watch this video:



4. Clean out the things no longer serving you (FB friends, room, closet, etc.)

Sometimes the most freeing thing is to take away the parts of your life that are no longer giving you what you need. "Stuff" can suffocate us when we are surrounded and distracted by so many unimportant things. Cleaning out your Facebook friends of those who do not spark joy in your life, along with physical clutter can ease your cramped mind!


5. Give yourself some TLC.

Depending on how lost you feel, there's a good chance you've let yourself go. Remember how nice it felt to have your hair curled, nails painted, makeup skillfully applied? Give yourself just one day a week where you allow yourself to feel as beautiful as you are. Take a long bath with soaps, essential oils, candles before exfoliating, moisturizing, shaving if you like, and then tucking yourself up in some clean sheets as you deserve.


6. Induce change in your life.

When you're stuck in a funk, for many the only way to escape it is to change one's view of life, starting at the micro-level and moving upward. Get a drastic haircut, clean out your wardrobe and update your closet, move around your furniture to give a new perspective, delete all your social media accounts, or take up a new hobby! When you change, your life needs to change with you if you are to become your greatest version.


7. Remember society expects you to be perfect all the time BUT know that no one is.

Instagram is an illusion which shows only the parts of a person's life that they want you to see. The perfect photo takes many tries, the best angles, lighting, and editing. Shut off social media and go out into nature, take care of yourself, surround yourself with people who love and support you, and take it one step at a time until you're where you need to be. Forgive yourself for mistakes...for being human!


8. Hug someone.

Human touch is so important and one of the best ways to counteract feelings of sadness. Let them hold you, and hopefully, they'll hug you for as long as you need them to. Don't be afraid to ask for this simple act of nurture because it is so important to your wellbeing. We could all use more hugs!


9. Write an angry rant and then burn it. As it burns imagine all the bad leaving you.

In order to move on, we must put the past behind us, to forgive and sometimes forget. Flush it out of your system through writing. Get it all out on paper until every feeling has been freely expressed. Burn it and imagine the negative energy leaving you, allowing you to step into a new future.


10. Sage your house.

Remove any negativity or bad spirits by burning sage, making sure to get the smoke into all the corners of the room. There are plenty of tutorials on how to properly sage a room, but when you're done you will feel like your house is a blank slate ready to be written on by a stronger version of yourself.


11. Remember what you came here to do. Live your life according to you, not anyone else.

People will inevitably move onward, leaving you with a life you hate because it was their dream not yours. No matter what others believe, this is YOUR life and you should hold the pen to your story without feeling like you need to shape it to fit someone else's opinions. You only get one shot to make it the best and most bad-ass novel ever written!



Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

181148
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

8062
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

453083
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

23658
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments