How to Rise After Hitting Rock Bottom

Some-times it feels like there is nowhere to go but up.  When you have been down so long, a change is the only option. Like a hamster on a wheel, going around and around, it might be time to break the cycle you are in.

Becoming aware of the problem is the first step to making a paradigm shift. We must stop feeling immobilized. The first thing to do is to stop acting like a victim. We need to stop asking ourselves, “Why me?” Tell ourselves the truth and accept the fact that we are the only ones who can change our situation. 

The time has come to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and say to ourselves, “We can do it.” It means telling ourselves a different story.  If we change the way we look at things, the things we look at will change.

Next, we need to ask ourselves, “In which ways we want to change.”  Whether changing a job, a relationship, or incorporating a healthier lifestyle is best, it all depends on our needs. 

Then commit to that change. Write it down, read it out loud, repeating it often.  Then break down the steps you will need and take it from there.

In changing jobs, it might be helpful to rewrite a resume, practice interviewing, and change your wardrobe to reflect a more professional look.

Research and explore such sites as StrengthsFinder and CareerBuilder to increase your skills. Become armed with as much knowledge as possible. Don’t lose sight of your vision. What started as a dream, with work, becomes a reality.

Unlike hitting rock bottom when changing jobs, ending a relationship involves another person’s feelings and can be heartbreaking. Often people grow into different versions of themselves as time goes on. When individuals continue to grow, and share in each other’s passions, a rocky relationship can find new energy. In changing, growth is a natural progression along life’s highway.  I have found that when a couple grows apart and stops effectively communicating, the relationship begins to lose energy and connection quickly. It is okay for a couple to realize they now have different goals and dreams, and desire to move in different directions.

 Not blaming the other person, helps to ease the pain.  Taking the high road can often alleviate disputes, understanding that it is a natural part of growing and healing. Bless the other person, bless the relationship. Everyone deserves love. Moving on, doesn’t necessarily mean that the relationship failed, only that it is time to follow your heart, making room in your life for a new beginning. 

The journey of moving up after hitting rock bottom, with means having self-awareness, followed by deciding to change. Break it down into small actions, and then celebrate your success.

You can take yourself into these exercises:

1.     So this is what rock bottom feels like. What does my experience feel like here? What do I want to move away from? What do I want to stop doing?

2.     What one thing must I decide today to stop doing? What one thing must I decide to start doing?

3.     Take action immediately.

4.     Look yourself in the mirror and congratulate yourself for taking action. ( Seriously - this is the most important step. )

Feel the change in you, soak it up, and revel in it. It is never too late to change, to elevate yourself. In releasing the negative and attracting the positive, today becomes the beginning of a whole new tomorrow.