Rock Bottom is Ok

Let’s face it. The worst feeling is that of helplessness when we feel like everything is deteriorating, if not reached the absolute bottom. Sounds familiar? That’s because there’s a great chance most of us have experienced it one way or the other.

When I look back at 2018, I’m not necessarily extremely proud and content. That’s because 2018 brought out countless mistakes, uncertainties and even failures. I remember three days to New Year’s eve, I stayed awake all night dealing with a sudden burst of anxiety. My inner voices kept telling me “What are you looking forward to? When you have clearly gone downhill in the last 365 days?” The downward spiral my mental health experienced gives me shudders every time I think about it. Sleepless, ashamed and demotivated– I quickly realized what was happening to me. I hit rock bottom.

Why am I talking about this, you might ask? Because in today’s world, what we see is usually not what actually is. There is a social obligation to look put together and successful. But sometimes, reality may be far from it. Hitting rock bottom is different for each individual, and regardless of the extent, is painful either way. However, picking back up doesn’t have to be extremely difficult.

Let’s explore some ways to recover:

1. Realize where you are and believe that it cannot get any worse: It’s only going up from now onwards.
2. Therapy: It’s like working out regularly after a health scare – for your mental health.
3. Earn your trust – Set the intention that the only person responsible is you.
4. Change your ways: Pick up something new.
5. Purge: Throw away things you haven’t used in a while, or know you do not need. It’s therapeutic!
6. Lay off that alcohol!
7. See unfamiliar faces: Meet new people!
8. Social media detox: Ahh the culprit! We spend so much time on social media it’s alarming. More often than not, comparing ourselves with others portraying a ‘perfect’ life is inevitable. It’s good to pause that briefly.

To sum up what I’m trying to say, being low is ok. Heck, hitting rock bottom has its rewards too. The trick is to know you got this, one way or the other.