How do you get your confidence back when life gets rough and you don’t feel like yourself anymore? The truth is that there isn’t a single person who doesn’t go through those moments.

Sometimes life just feels too hard to go on or keep up with. We lose confidence in ourselves and even worse off in our abilities. It can feel like there are no more reasons to fight for the things we want.

Life throws so much at us sometimes that it’s easy as humans to fall into a slump of negative feelings about ourselves and what we’re doing in this world, and then it can be nearly impossible to get out of it once we fall down; that hole! Don’t worry, though, if you feel like you’re stuck in that state where everything looks bleak; these steps will help guide you through getting your confidence back when life gets tough and it all seems hopeless!

Steps to regaining self-confidence when life gets rough:

Step 1: Take a moment and think about why you feel the way that you do

When life gets tough, it’s hard not to focus on all the negatives and forget about everything going right in your life too! Try to take an honest inventory of what’s going well for you and how far you’ve come. You might be surprised at what you find when you look closely enough. Sometimes people go through their entire lives thinking they’re failing while they actually have enormous success around them that they don’t see because they’re focused on how much farther they feel like they need to go. So ask yourself, what are three things I’m really grateful for?

Step 2: Think about where your problems are coming from

We all get upset sometimes, and it feels good to let our emotions out or put them into words, but we also have to be aware of what’s causing these feelings; otherwise, they can become overwhelming and damage our sense of confidence in the long run. Think about the possible causes of the most stress you’re struggling with right now. Is there something that keeps repeating itself or even just one thing that you wish would go away? Once you’ve identified the source of your stress, try writing a list of solutions for each problem on an index card. For example, if you’re stressed because money is low and bills are piling up, brainstorm actions that will fix this, like getting a new job or increasing sales at work. Try to be very specific and realistic with what you want as possible.

Step 3: Think about how you can change your view on the problem

Sometimes we’re so stressed out by something that it feels impossible to believe anything else could ever help fix it. So many times though, people who are stuck in a rut just need a new way of approaching their problems and some fresh perspective! Think about what you’ve been doing already or what others have suggested, then try to brainstorm an alternate solution that might be more helpful. Is there anything different you could do that would make this a less stressful event? What’s another way of looking at this situation?

Step 4: Go for small wins

The best thing about these steps is that if you’re feeling really stuck, each one can be taken one at a time, and they all add up to something amazing! If you feel like there’s too much wrong in your life or nothing will ever change, try focusing on small changes for now. It’s okay if it feels like everything is falling apart and you have no hope; even small steps will help get you out of the rut. For example: even if your bills are piling up, start by eating out less so that you have some extra money for groceries this week. Even if things seem hopeless right now, make a list of 10 things you’re grateful for, and then do one thing every day from that list to remind yourself what’s going right in your life. Even if the problem you’re facing feels impossible to fix, brainstorm a few ways to approach it differently and then try those out one at a time until you can see how they might work.

Step 5: Try not to get too comfortable

We often feel useless when we’re in a rut, and we’re so busy feeling sorry for ourselves that we forget about everything good going on in our lives and all the amazing things that are just around the corner! Try thinking of five things you want to do this month now and make a plan for how you can accomplish those goals! Whether it’s something simple like cooking dinner with your partner some night or something bigger like finally taking a dream vacation, these small steps will get you feeling more confident and help you remember how great life really is!

Step 6: Try to think about your problems differently

Our perception of a problem can make it difficult or easy for us to handle, so think of ways to change your perspective on the issue. Is there anything positive about this situation? Can you see things as an opportunity instead of only challenges? Try thinking of 3 reasons why a similar person would welcome this experience. These steps will help to better direct your thoughts towards finding solutions and might even make it easier for someone else who’s going through the same thing!

Step 7: Try treating yourself

Sometimes people feel so useless when they’re in a rut that they don’t deserve anything nice. Yet, when we neglect ourselves, it only makes us feel worse and does nothing to help solve the problem! Take some time today or this week to do something just for you, like go for a walk, buy yourself an ice cream (or whatever your favorite treat is), or even take a nap. Whatever it is that will remind you of how important you are to yourself, do it as often as possible! Even though it is hard sometimes, treating ourselves well is one of the best ways to start feeling better about life again.

The bottom line:

When life gets rough, start with small steps and keep taking them to build more confidence! No matter what your problems may be; there’s always hope on the horizon. It can feel so overwhelming when life gets difficult, but these steps are guaranteed to make things easier. I hope they’ll lead you to a brighter day.

Joe McLean is a content writer at UK dissertations and regular contributor for Buy Custom Essay and superiorpapers.com. When he isn’t writing, you can find him tracking nature, doing yoga or playing board games with his friends. 

Image courtesy of Zhu Pen.