At some point in your life, it will happen. We all end up in the deepest trenches for some amount of time, wondering how we will dig ourselves out and when we will see the light of day again. Let’s face it; this planet is a tough teacher, and sometimes, things just don’t unfold how we expected them to. In fact, sometimes things seem to go in the complete opposite direction, and when one unfavorable thing after another happens, we feel like we can’t catch a break. However, even if you feel buried beneath life’s circumstances and don’t see any way out of the hole you’re in, don’t worry.

“Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.” – J.K. Rowling

The universe always seeks to guide you in a direction that will benefit you the most, and you CAN change the currents and swim back upstream by following these tips:

7 Ways to Rebound from Rock Bottom

1. Figure out what in your life is causing you the most unhappiness.

rock bottom - your life

In order to move forward, you need to stop and think about what sends you backward. You need to figure out what brings you down so you can lift yourself up once again. Make a list if you have to of the things or people that make you feel drained or depressed. Then, you need to decide if you would rather totally eliminate these things from your life, or just put them on the back burner while you focus on getting back on your feet again.

Also, sometimes our own mindset is the culprit, so listen to your thoughts and feelings and figure out what they’re telling you. If your predominant thoughts seem negative, try to transform them into positives by looking at the silver lining in each situation. Often, the hardest lessons are the greatest teachers, and we can either take them in stride and learn from them or dwell on the pain and unfairness of the situation.

2. Start doing small things each day to cultivate more happiness in your life.

A lot of times, we can get caught up in the big picture, not seeing that we can start changing our life by cultivating better habits or rituals. Each day when you wake up, do something that makes you feel unbelievably good, whether that be meditating for five or ten minutes, doing your favorite workout routine, or simply going outside to smell the flowers in your garden.

You will soon see that these small positive changes will bring about big differences in your life, and allow you to climb out of those trenches and shine brightly as the beautiful being that you are.

3. Turn to supportive friends and family for help.

Sometimes, the weight of our problems seems too much to bear alone, so don’t hesitate to reach out to the people who love and care about you. They will happily lend you a helping hand a shoulder to cry on if you need it, because they want to see you thriving once again. Remember, we are all a part of the same whole, so we all have an obligation to help each other when we need it the most.

4. Eliminate the things in your life that cause you stress.

One by one, go down the list of everything that makes you feel stressed and start getting rid of the things that cause you the most anxiety. Even if it’s something small, like throwing your keys down after getting home when you could hang them up to make them easier to find, those bad habits can really create a lot of turmoil when you look at them cumulatively. In order to create better habits and live a more stress-free life, you have to first look at all the unfavorable habits you’ve picked up on over the years.

Or, maybe they aren’t habits, but just people or situations that cause you a lot of distress. Make sure to hone in on what gets your heart racing and your mind in a frenzy and try to either get rid of or modify these things so you can live a more peaceful existence.

5. Repeat the affirmation “I own my life!”

When you have a fearless, confident attitude about life, you become untouchable and unstoppable. You become a relentless and courageous machine that can tackle anything life throws at you in stride, and you won’t feel threatened or burdened by anything you might face. Life can only win if you let it, so don’t allow it to get the best of you. You totally own your life and can transform it into a beautiful masterpiece if you so choose, so make sure to adjust your attitude and follow up with the affirmation above to help bring about the life that you wish to see before you.

6. Follow your passions unabashedly.

Don’t allow life to get in the way of your true passions and desires; work toward your dreams and goals every day, and you will start to see the reality you want to unfold before you. Dreams don’t work unless you do, so instead of coming home after work to watch TV, get to work on your true passions. Take a small step each day toward what lights that fire within your soul, and never stop until you have achieved your dreams.

No one can tell you what kind of life to lead except yourself, and your actions determine what type of reality you will experience. Align your actions with what you want to see more of in your life, and you’ve set yourself up for a world of universal abundance and happiness.

7. Get into a state of “flow,” where your mind won’t have a chance to ruminate on your misfortunes.

Many people who feel they’ve hit rock bottom simply don’t allow themselves to switch off from their problems. They sit and mull over everything wrong in their lives when they would benefit themselves much more by turning their brains off for a while and simply living. Just because you have encountered a roadblock doesn’t mean you can’t take a detour and find something even more beautiful on the new path you’ve taken. In a similar fashion, just because you feel burdened by life doesn’t mean you can’t still do things that make you smile and take your mind off the situation.

Do yoga, exercise, make your favorite dish, or anything else that puts you into a state of action so you don’t fall into the trap of reaction. You won’t have a chance to react to your thoughts if you redirect that energy and give them someplace else to go.