If you find yourself feeling tempted to give up your fitness regimen, business, or relationship – or considering doing so – any time soon, that could be dangerous. If this feeling persists for more than several days or weeks, consider seeking professional mental health support as soon as possible.
A licensed therapist can assist with identifying the source of these thoughts and provide compassionate guidance and support. If this option is unaffordable for you, online counseling may provide a great alternative.
1. Take a Break
if your relationship has hit an impasse, “we’re on a break” might be just what the doctor ordered to revive it. Before you act like Ross and Rachel do, consider what experts say about taking a break and what it could mean for both of you in terms of future potential outcomes.
Rachel Wright, a relationship, sex, and mental health therapist told Very Well Mind that taking a break can be helpful when couples don’t know what the next step should be in their relationship or want to part ways but are uncertain of the extent of their separation.
Breaks can be beneficial in giving both partners time to gain perspective on the relationship, especially if there’s been constant arguing or you have difficulty reaching an agreement on key issues. Wright states: The goal of taking a break should be giving each person space to consider how best to move forward in their relationships or whether it even remains healthy in any form.
Before determining the length of a break, both parties should meet and discuss their respective needs and wants. Setting clear rules about what you two will be doing during this time will help avoid misunderstandings or hurt feelings later on.
Establish a timeline for your break. Wright advises not leaving this step open-ended as that could lead to an endless breakup process. Instead, set checkpoints that keep both parties accountable – such as checking in once every week or after therapy sessions.
2. Do Something You Enjoy
If your work, hobbies, or social activities no longer bring joy, that could be a telltale sign that something needs to change. Engaging in activities you find rewarding will energize and renew your motivation – which in turn, could increase productivity at work.
If dancing, going for long bike rides, or helping those in need are activities you love engaging in, find ways to incorporate these activities into your schedule as they will give your mind something else to focus on and relieve some of the strain you feel from everyday stressors.
Surround yourself with positive people to boost your spirits. Being around individuals who promote negativity or unkindness could contribute to feelings of abandonment; you need supportive people in your corner who will encourage and push you toward reaching your goal.
Doing what you enjoy can also make you happier, which is essential for remaining motivated. Feeling good makes overcoming challenges much simpler!
Finally, it’s important to identify why you are feeling this way. Perhaps you are experiencing physical or emotional discomfort or are feeling discouraged by someone close to you; even your inner critic might be telling you that you’re not good enough.
If your negative thoughts persist without clear causes, it may be time to seek professional assistance from a licensed therapist. Many online therapy platforms connect users within 48 hours with licensed professionals that allow them to choose a session time that works for their schedules and start improving mental health immediately. Sometimes feelings of wanting to give up are only temporary; with proper support and treatment this feeling can quickly fade. Don’t allow it prevent you from reaching your goals!
3. Practice Gratitude
Practice of gratitude can improve mental wellbeing by relieving stress, improving sleep quality and strengthening relationships – not only that but it can also assist people through difficult times by helping them rise above them and move on more quickly.
A gratitude practice can range from something as straightforward as listing all the things for which you’re thankful to writing letters of thanksgiving to loved ones and friends – either way, it should be undertaken regularly.
Experts advise using gratitude practices to retrain the brain and concentrate on the positive aspects of life. Gratitude exercises have been shown to increase production of dopamine and serotonin neurotransmitters which help influence feelings and moods; additionally they may reduce stress while encouraging prosocial behaviors like helping others.
Grateful people tend to experience lower rates of depression and are more satisfied with their lives overall. Furthermore, gratitude helps the amygdala, which triggers emotional responses, relax.
Study involving almost 300 individuals seeking counseling services found that those asked to write letters of gratitude for three weeks reported significantly better mental health than a control group. A practice known as “counting blessings”, whereby thinking about three positive events that happened each day, can also have profound positive effects on mental health and well-being.
Practice gratitude can be difficult for those living with mental health conditions or experiencing chronic depression and anxiety, yet it is still possible. Remembering to give this technique time to show its effects and build resilience may take longer. For support and encouragement when trying gratitude techniques, contact a therapist or professional, in addition to trying other tools such as exercise, eating nutritiously and getting enough restful sleep.
4. Talk to Someone
Sometimes the reason you feel like giving up can be traced to an encompassing feeling that covers many symptoms and concerns. Hopelessness and despair can encompass feelings like motivation loss, feeling powerless against circumstances and inevitabilities or that life simply isn’t worth living.
These feelings may be an indicator that it’s time to seek emotional and psychological assistance. A therapist can offer guidance and assist in pinpointing the source of your distress, while teaching coping skills and providing encouragement that’s vital in keeping going. Whether utilizing support from family, friends, or online therapy services; having someone listen can make all the difference when combatting feelings of giving up and keeping motivation alive.
When contemplating quitting, remember that these thoughts are simply ways of avoiding your problems and confronting them head on. By ending your avoidance tactics and facing them head-on, you will make progress with what has been stressing you out and be able to overcome challenges more easily.
If you are struggling with depression, anxiety or substance use disorders, psychotherapy and/or medication may provide additional support. Medication used for treating these conditions includes antidepressants and antianxiety agents depending on your specific needs and diagnosis.
No matter the cause of your distress, it is vitally important to talk about them with someone. Sharing these feelings will allow them to leave your system and show you there is hope available in times of hardship.
5. Exercise
Exercise can be an amazing way to connect with yourself and feel good. Exercise improves mental health, increases focus and self-esteem, as well as providing physical benefits such as positive longevity, enhanced proprioception and decreased lifestyle diseases risks. While its many benefits make exercise worth doing, there can still be obstacles preventing people from getting fit. These barriers could include body image issues, cost, injury/illness concerns or just not wanting to work out at all – it is key that you find an activity or regiment that suits you and gets results.
Consider hiking, dancing, playing sports or picking fruit at an orchard – even just gently stretching while watching TV can all help improve health and wellbeing!