Many of us awake each day with a lack of enthusiasm. We feel depressed and hopeless, and wonder what our purpose is. On the other hand, there are many people who awake each day with an eagerness and optimism. The answer is simple: The ones that have plans and goals are the ones who enjoy their life and suffer less depression and anxiety. It is so important to have a reason to get up in the morning.
When we drive, we look in the rear view mirror occasionally, but most of the time we are looking forward. Life should work the same way. We think and think about all that we could have done better yesterday and about all our past mistakes. This becomes a trap that keeps us from moving forward. Yesterday is gone. The last 60 seconds have already passed. Whatever happened to make you who you are today is history. It is time to move forward and stop looking back. The way to start is to have something to look forward to each and every day. It doesn’t have to be grandiose or particularly impressive. Any goal, big or small, is something that will encourage you to get out of bed bright, cheerful, enthusiastic and optimistic because you have something to look forward to. Identify what makes you come alive. If you love gardening, plant a garden and nurture it every day. If you’ve always wanted to travel, make a plan! If you want to be happy, you’ve got to define what you want, put it in writing with an explicit deadline and then take the action steps to make it happen.
When another day begins and you know that there is something you can look forward to and accomplish, your life will become far more positive and full of meaning. Not only will the depressed feelings you have diminish, but your creative juices will start flowing again! You may even notice talents that you never knew you possessed!
Here are some suggestions to get you out of your rut!
Try a new restaurant every week. Read up on new openings or get recommendations from friends;
Take a cooking class;
Learn a new language and then plan a trip to that country;
Start a new exercise;
Take a dancing class and practice each day;
Donate your time to a charitable organization, or simply visit a nursing home or homeless shelter.
Buy tickets to the theater.
Make sure you have social events marked on your calendar at least once a month. If you are on Facebook, there is always an event to go to. You never know who you will meet, plus it gives you something to look forward to.
These are just some suggestions. You can make your own list.
Tomorrow, I hope you wake up and say, “Another day to achieve a goal, another day to plan something that makes me happy”!
© 2012 Susan Korwin
