Does nothing make you feel happy anymore? Do you find no reason to keep going in your life? If you feel lost and wonder how to keep going, then here are a few strategies that can make you feel alive again.
What makes you happy?
Before we find out how to keep going, let me start by asking: What do you think makes you happy? Is it your family? Your career? Lots of money? Traveling? Or a healthy relationship with a good partner? Most of us tend to believe that achieving certain goals and possessing certain things and gaining value from certain people will make us. But there is something inherently wrong with that pattern of thinking.
Happiness is not about having the perfect career, or an impressive bank balance, or love. Your happiness does not depend on external things or other people. Of course, these things are important and can make your life better, but these do not make you happy.
And it is because of this belief that you feel lost. That you feel nothing can make you happy anymore. That you don’t have the will to keep going and move forward.
When you depend on other things and people for your happiness, you will never be able to experience true happiness that is stable and sustainable. When external factors make you happy, then it will always lead to personal suffering. The fact is, happiness is a state of mind. It is a decision that you make and is completely within your control. Deliberately deciding to be happy is how to keep going in life when the chips are down.
Read: 10 Little Habits That Are Keeping You Away From Happiness
When nothing leads to happiness
But what if nothing makes you happy? Once again, the problem with this thought is that you believe you need “something” to be happy, and the lack of that “thing” is making you unhappy. Yes, there are tons of challenges in life. You don’t have the perfect job, you don’t have the bank balance you’d like to have and your relationship needs a lot of work to be healthy.
That’s life. But that’s no reason to be “unhappy”.
So if you want to learn how to keep going when nothing in this world makes you happy anymore, then the very first thing you need to do is change your thought process. Transform your beliefs and tell yourself that your happiness relies on YOU and not on external factors or other people.
The answer to the questions “how to keep going?” and “how to find happiness?” is to look inside and seek within you. Happiness is our default setting. We are programmed to be stressed and depressed. The truth is we do not need anything or reason to be happy.
We simply need to unlearn the unhappiness programming and relearn how to tap into our inner happiness. When you think that you are happy, you become happy.
Read: Emptiness Inside: Why You Feel Empty In Life & How to Fill It
How to keep going when nothing makes you happy
What to do when nothing makes you happy? If you feel unhappy and external things have no positive emotional effect on you, then it becomes crucial that you look inside and reflect on your own thoughts, emotions, needs, and dreams. The key to finding happiness and figuring out how to keep going is recognizing and acknowledging your emotions & reactions. You should also make sure your emotions are aligned with your values, objectives and goals.
When you gain mastery over observing and regulating your emotions, you will be able to better react to to situations and alter your attitude accordingly, so that you can experience a positive mood and a positive state of mind. This is how to keep going when nothing can make you happy.
We need to train our minds to become more aware of the present moment so that we may identify and choose happiness in each and every moment. Simply by taking charge of our own life; by not making excuses or blaming others for our struggles, we can bring about a drastic change in our mindset and thoughts.
So if you are ready to know how to find happiness and how to keep going in your life, then here are a few ways that can help you get started:
1. Know what you want
Figure out what you want from life. Understand what your dreams and desires are. What makes you excited, feel energetic, and alive within? Self-reflection will enable you to understand what your authentic, uncorrupted needs and wants are. However, make sure it is not influenced by other people or external factors. Do not let anyone else define your goals and dreams for you.
Read also: 15 Prescriptions for Happiness That Will Change Your Life
2. Take positive action
Want to know how to keep going? Then focus on positive action along with positive thinking. Figuring out your dreams and goals is one thing, but you also need to actively pursue them. Positive thinking is not enough, it must be backed by positive action. Once you know about your true desire, you can invest sufficient time and energy in accomplishing that. When you pursue what you want, you will experience happiness.
But it is important to realize that pursuing your dreams is more important than actually achieving them. If you believe you will be happy only when you accomplish a goal, then you will be deliberately postponing your own happiness. This will only make you feel trapped and think that nothing can make you happy. Life is short, so earn what you deserve. This is how you learn how to find happiness.
3. Pause and breathe
Life can be extremely busy and chaotic. We are always on the run trying to complete one task after the other. We are always trying to meet our responsibilities, either for our careers or our families. However, during this frantic race down a never-ending track, we often forget to look after ourselves.
We forget to acknowledge our own thoughts, emotions, and needs. We forget to breathe and live. If you want to re-learn how to be happy, then simply slow down, take a break from that chaotic race and breathe. Breathe intentionally and mindfully.
Set aside sometime every day for yourself to do things that you love. It can be anything from eating your favorite food to taking a stroll or just listening to your favorite music. Invest sometime in yourself and do what you enjoy.
You can also learn how to be more mindful and spend some time practicing mindfulness meditation to calm your mind and get rid of all that unnecessary stress and anxiety. This is one of the simplest answers to the question – How to keep going when nothing seems to work?
Read also: Why You Should Give Meditation a Try- Know the benefits
4. Acknowledge your emotions
When you ignore your feelings for a long time and try to drown them with materialistic things, you begin to experience a deep void inside. Due to this, you feel like nothing can make you happy anymore as you are already indulging in things, yet you are unable to feel any positive emotion.
But the real reason for that abyss inside you is the avoidance of your genuine feelings. If you want to learn how to be happy, then you need to start accepting and acknowledging your feelings because they are exceptionally important. Whether it’s positive or negative, emotions must be paid attention to.
However, paying attention doesn’t necessarily mean acting on them. For instance, if you feel anger, it is not important that you react out of that anger. Instead, accept your feeling of anger and rage and try to identify the trigger.
Moreover, if certain things in your life are making you feel sad, drained, and unhappy, then make small yet significant changes in your lifestyle to change how you feel. It can also be helpful to cry out loud, if you feel like it, as it can lead to a cathartic release and make you feel better.
Renowned psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud believed that catharsis has a significant role to play in reducing symptoms of frustration and distress. So go ahead and cry if you need to. Give some attention to your own emotions no matter how difficult they may be.
There are more things to learn about “how to keep going”, so let’s us keep going to find more practical solutions.
Read also: The Epicurean Philosophy for Happiness: How To Be Happy & Seek Pleasure
5. Step out of loneliness
Yes, your happiness lies inside and you shouldn’t rely on others to make you happy. But that doesn’t mean that you will withdraw from others and isolate yourself. Isolation makes us fall deeper into the dark abyss of unhappiness.
Interacting and building relationships with others can inspire you and help you gain new perspectives. It can motivate you to learn new skills and pursue new goals. Developing emotional connections with people can help you feel comfort and joy.
Socializing is a crucial step in learning how to find happiness. But that doesn’t mean you attend every party or event you are invited to. It simply means creating, sharing, and enjoying a sacred bond with a few close people who understand and appreciate you.
You can find happiness within yourself, but sharing that happiness with your loved ones can make it even more special and memorable.
6. Practice gratitude
Be thankful for what you have instead of being sad for what you don’t. Gratitude trains your mind to focus on the positive things that are already present in your life. Gratefulness is a strong and empowering emotion that helps you reflect on things that make you happy and appreciate life.
Practicing gratitude not only helps you experience positive emotions, but it also improves your health by making you more compassionate, helping you sleep better, improving your immune systems, and making you feel more alive.
Read also: The Importance Of Gratitude, And Best Ways To Practice It
A 2010 study found that “there is an association between gratitude and a sense of overall well-being.” Another study by Emmons & McCullough, 2003, discovered that keeping a gratitude journal on a daily basis tends to make you more optimistic in life and feel better about yourself in general.
So observe yourself and your life closely and identify what is working for you and what is working against you. Instead of avoiding imperfections, acknowledge & accept them as even the smallest things can help you reach where you need to.
Now you know how to keep going when nothing makes sense anymore.
Find your path
However, if you are still asking yourself how to find happiness and how you can move forward, then you should focus on finding your path in life. Understand your life’s purpose. Do not allow the daily grind to affect your mood, thoughts, and emotions.
Instead, look for ways to bring small changes into your life that will help you cope better with daily challenges without getting affected.
It’s okay if you don’t love your job. It’s okay if you haven’t achieved a certain goal. It’s okay if you are still struggling for financial stability. It’s okay if you are having relationship problems. These are all things that you can be overcome by developing the right mindset and working on them gradually.
Do not let your daily struggles distract you from tapping into your inner happiness and focusing on the one thing that matters the most – YOU.
Read also: Contentment over Happiness: Why It’s Better To Be Content Than Happy
Know yourself
Understanding yourself is the secret to understanding how to find happiness. Know your dreams, desires, values, beliefs, passions, and purpose in life. Acknowledge your own thoughts and emotions and value yourself. Invest some time in nurturing yourself and do what makes you feel happy from the inside. Stop thinking about being happy and take steps that will lead to the happiness you seek. Focus on the bigger picture and fill yourself up with positivity.
Decide to live a happy life. Choose happiness in every moment.
Read also: How To Be Happy When You’re Single: 5 Things To Consider
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