Sometimes it is hard to see, or maybe even invisible, but there is always a hand reaching out to support you when you are down. The trick is to notice it. You don’t have to walk through what you’re going through alone. Reach out to those around you. It may seem as though no one cares, but the people who love you care more than you think they do, and they are reaching out.
Here are seven tips to help you see the hand reaching out to you:
1 Plan for the probable
Intuition is more powerful than most of us realize. Ask yourself what people, places, or things bring about emotional turmoil in you. When you surround yourself with these things, they exacerbate your already difficult emotions. Feeling these emotions can make you feel even worse. You must do your best to put these things out of reach.
History tends to repeat itself. You can use past experiences to plan for likely struggles. Write down the reasons you typically struggle with and provide a probable solution for each. It’s better to come up with something on paper than to sit down and sink into depression.
2 “No” is a complete sentence
Do not say yes to things that do not serve your higher self. Sometimes the hand reaching out is yourself and your ability to say “no.” If something or someone is bringing about anxiety, you need to avoid them. If they create unsettling feelings in your life, then you need to distance yourself. Letting go is better than hanging on to toxic people and things. You need to accept that toxic people do not change.
Stop subjecting yourself to things that make you uneasy. Stop being available for people who are constantly unavailable for you. You have to know your own threshold. If you have to be around negative people, limit the amount of time you are with them and the amount of brain power you give them.
3 Live in the present moment
No amount of regret about the past or anxiety about the future can change the present. The past and the future are forever out of reach. The first step to living in the present moment is gratitude. Make a list of things you are grateful for. Living in gratitude helps you notice those who reach out to you consistently.
4 Don’t forget but forgive
Forgiveness is hard for everyone, but holding on to animosity hurts you more than it hurts others. Start your day by forgiving those who wronged you. Say, “I forgive you for making me feel this way, and I forgive myself for accepting it.” Your forgiveness is your own hand reaching out to you, lifting you up when you feel like falling down.
5 Find your happy place
This can also be quite difficult. You need to reflect on the last time you were genuinely happy and recreate it yourself. This happy place is not created by others. Everyone’s happy place is different. Take pride in your happy place and let it embrace you.
6 Build a realistic budget
Most of us feel a need to overspend to keep up with a certain lifestyle and not be left out of the holiday celebrations. Remember that you don’t have to spend a fortune to make an impact. Overspending can leave you full of regret and anxiety. Put money aside for the holidays and keep the rest out of reach.
7 Shift your terminology
“We accept the love that we think we deserve” – Stephen Chbosky.
Stop accepting the love you think you deserve and understand that you deserve love. Love is often a hand reaching out, waiting for you to accept it.
The Takeaway: Find peace this holiday season.
Remember that it’s okay to not be okay. If it costs you your peace, then it’s too expensive. Your peace and well-being are more important than anything else. Walk away from whatever or whoever is causing you grief. The more grateful you are, the happier you are. You can’t find the solution until you find the problem. Stop striving for perfection and shoot for progress.
