#everyone gets free money forever to meet their needs and help them lead fulfilling lives

[kitteneyejo]

so mad at the way shit works in the world rn i think it should all change drastically immediately with no negative consequences or periods of upheaval

[rainming7561-blog]

8 Toxic Habits You Should Get Rid of to Improve Your Quality of Life

Avoiding them might change your whole life.

When I first tapped into personal development, I tried to build as many positive habits as possible.

I set up a morning routine, started to meditate, went to the gym frequently, and read at least one book per week.

Yet, a year later, I didn’t feel happier, more fulfilled, or improved.

And I didn’t understand why my life didn’t change even though I built all these new, powerful routines.

Change your habits and you’ll change your life is one of the bold promises of the self-help world and I didn’t know why it didn’t work for me.

But it’s true: Your routines can change your life.

Yet what I overlooked is that those good routines aren’t worth much if you don’t let go of your negative habits first.

Quite often, it’s our little, harmful routines that break our success, not the lack of good ones.

The following habits are certainly not easy to give up, but once you let go of them, you won’t only feel relieved but also much more energized in your daily life.

You make a mountain out of a molehill.

Did you ever make a great decision because you spent lots of time thinking about it?

Me neither.

The truth is that we never make good choices by overthinking.

According to Malcolm Gladwell, we make all our choices in the blink of an eye. Yet, we are not aware of it and want to have a logical reason. That’s why we overcomplicate most of our decisions.

In his book Blink, Gladwell explains how all our decisions are based on our intuition.

We don’t make the right decisions by thinking logically, we just try to find arguments for decisions we already made based on our gut feeling.

But life is so much easier and fun if you go with the flow, allow yourself to make mistakes, and correct your course on the way.

Spending time to think about problems or decisions might sound smart, but it isn’t.

Most people are overthinking everyday situations and end up spending hours and hours without producing results.

How to change it:

Small steps can lead to enormous changes: Why not try to choose your next meal in a restaurant quicker than you’d usually do?

Why not be the one who suggests where to go and what to do when hanging out with your friends instead of saying, “I don’t know.” or “I don’t care.”?

Try to take control of the small things in your life. Give your best to make the unimportant decisions as quickly as possible.

You are obsessed with other peoples’ opinions.

How often do you get discouraged because of other people’s opinions?

The odds are high that your answer is too often.

The bad news is that you’ll never be able to satisfy everybody. The good news, however, is that it doesn’t matter.

You have one life and you don’t need to waste it by living up to the standards of others.

How to change it:

You can’t be everybody’s darling, but you can indeed be your own hero and save yourself.

Stop muting your inner voice to satisfy others and start sharing your light with the world.

You are living for the weekend.

So many people waste their lives looking forward to the weekend.

This is a particularly dangerous trap for people who aren’t happy in their jobs and spend the whole week surviving instead of living.

But the truth is that weekends are just a small part of your life. You can’t be unhappy from Monday to Friday and expect the weekend to compensate for these negative feelings.

A week is a great period to set small, realistic goals and track your progress. And if you like what you do, each Monday is a new opportunity to create an amazing week.

How to change it:

Nobody hates Mondays. You either hate your job, your coworkers, your boss, or something else related to Monday, but certainly not the day itself.

If you live a life you love, you’ll appreciate each day as an opportunity to share your gift with the world.

Stop blaming Monday and identify the part of your life you really hate. That’s the only way to eliminate it and create a week and life you truly enjoy.

You are fearing change.

You don’t have to be cheerful about everything that happens in life. Yet, your fear shouldn’t hold you back.

We all know that things could be way worse at any point in our lives.

Even the fact that you are reading this article right now indicates that you are among the wealthier, more privileged people of the world.

Life is changing faster than ever before and we might be facing new challenges every single day. That’s why the most adaptable people will always win in the long run.

How to change it:

Stop being afraid is easier said than done, but it’s probably one of the most underrated pieces of advice.

Even if changes might be uncertain, there is almost always a positive aspect to them.

Most of us grow up being taught to play it safe, get a well-paid job, build security, and avoid changes. Yet, change can also mean improvement.

Every challenge in your life will help you to improve and become a better version of yourself. Be courageous, keep your eyes on the positive aspects, and try new things. And if it still gets too scary, ask yourself the following question:

What’s the worst thing that can happen?

Quite often, you’ll realize that the worst thing isn’t that bad.

You are trying to please everyone.

How often do you find yourself doing something just to make someone else happy?

Sure, sometimes, it’s great and necessary to do something just for the sake of making someone happy, but most of the time, the problem is our inability to say no.

If you can’t say no to the wrong things, you won’t be able to say hell yeah to the projects, people, and opportunities that truly excite you.

How to stop it:

Be aware of your self-worth. Remind yourself of what you want and what you need to do for it. Saying yes to others often means saying no to yourself.

If you always try to please others, you’ll be ignoring your own desires.

The first step, however, is to know what you are actually aiming for. You need to be aware of your life purpose, your goals, and your priorities.

Once you know your priorities and the things you want to achieve, you will waste less time on the wishes of others.

You are living paycheck to paycheck.

Every single day, we’re being bombarded with thousands of sales pitches. Making purchases is simpler than ever before and great marketers know how to catch our attention, even if we don’t need anything.

Yet the harsh truth is that overspending will not only ruin you financially, but it’ll also harm other areas of your life.

You can’t increase the quality of your life if you always live paycheck to paycheck and are surrounded by stuff you don’t need.

How to change it:

Get used to saving your money before spending it and avoid the trap of wasting your entire paycheck on consumer goods.

Sooner or later, you might face unexpected emergencies. When these situations occur, you’ll be glad to have a safety net instead of waiting for your next payment.

You are living in the past.

The surest way to live a miserable life is by spending too much time worrying about the past.

If you want to be happy and fulfilled, you need to learn how to be present and enjoy the small joys of everyday situations.

Instead of thinking about your past mistakes or fearing the future, try to be fully present right now. Because now is to only time you can influence and change.

You can’t change anything about the past, and you can’t determine your future. But you can give your very best to enjoy every moment and live intentionally.

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. “

— Buddha

How to change it:

Start focusing on the now. What can you do today to live your best life?

Set daily intentions, focus on your goals, and think of all the things you are grateful for.

Journaling, for example, is an excellent method to be more present and focus on the given moment. By writing down what you’re grateful for and what you feel at any given moment, you’ll learn to be more present and listen to your inner self.

You are talking yourself down.

Imagine having a friend who followed you 24/7, telling you things like:

“You’re too fat.”

“You’re ugly.”

“You can’t do that.”

“You aren’t worth it.”

Would you enjoy the company of that friend?

You probably wouldn’t.

Yet, too often, we are this friend ourselves. Most people are professionals in talking themselves down. But your relationship with yourself is the most important one.

You are the only person who’ll be with you forever.

So make sure to get on well with yourself and be your own cheerleader instead of your own critic.

“Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”

― Lao Tzu

How to stop it:

Focus on your strengths and achievements.

It’s easy to be confident and proud when you accomplish great things, but you need to be your own fan, even if you fail miserably.

Throughout your life, you will meet so many people who’ll try to discourage you or don’t respect your achievements.

But no matter what others say, you need to stay true to yourself.

Want to grow? Grab my free Personal Growth Toolkit with 42 effective & actionable tactics, resources & tools to elevate your life.

[dhill202-blog]

10 Tips for a Better Travel Experience

Hitting the street once will change your life forever. Fact. You will become more flexible and thinking on your feet will become second nature. Confidence and self belief will blossom as you overcome the trials and tribulations engendered by life on the street, and you'll evolve. Interaction with other people, from all walks of life, will become a daily event. The people you meet and the situations you encounter, both good and bad, will gradually start to define you. Some days may be magic, others could be tough - but every day will leave its mark, and the cumulative impact is life altering.

Whether you travel for a month, a year, or ten years, you'll have an experience unlike any other. But pause for a moment and ask yourself: - is it better?

Here are ten ways to improve your travel experience.

Go Slow - You have quit your job or got time off work, flown half way round the world, and are now desperately excited to see firsthand all you have read and dreamed of. However, by racing though too many nations in a given time you may lose out on much more. Not only will you learn less about the places you've longed to see, but you'll tire quickly and become travel weary. A couple of nights in each place also spells out buses, boats or trains at least ever other day, and packing/unpacking will become a daily event. Tiring? I should coco.

With more time spent in fewer areas you will start to live in your new environment. The extra time in every place may encourage you to explore under your own steam instead of being shackled to a guidebook and its top ten tick off list. Worries about wasting time won't be a problem, leaving you free to go drifting and raising the chances uncovering a lesser known delight.

Have Faith - Be a bit more trusting. Everyone isn't out to steal your money, or cheat you. Traveling with this unhealthy mindset will cause someone to become detached, cynical, bitter, and a very bad ambassador for their country. Do not be dismissive or rude when approached - after all, it is wonderful to be nice.

Ok, sometimes an unsavory cookie can cross your path, but this can be taken care of upon consciousness; but, overall, those who approach you may fall into other categories: people like you and I wanting to earn a living (and assisting you with a service in the procedure ), and the ones which are either interested or favorable (or usually both!) Thus, let the guard down a bit and listen to people out. Judge situations on their unique merits and occasionally be a Yes Man, you can't know where it might lead.

Get Involved - Keep a look out for opportunities where you can make a difference. We learn so much from people we meet and places we see, but all too often its one way traffic. Get prepared to help others and attempt whenever possible to give back something. Perform to your skills and expertise, you might have something valuable to offer. 

Learn the Lingo - Even just the basics will lay the foundation for a better experience. 'Pleases' and'thank you's go a very long way, and, even if they're not delivered properly or understood, they show that you're willing to make the hard work and communicate a respect toward the people you meet. If nothing else it will raise a smile or two, and that is always a bonus. Furthermore, in the event you still need encouragement to acquire a phrase book, some of the local lingo can get you a better price for transportation, accommodation, and the little knick-knacks you can't pass up.

We attempt to taste all the regional delicacies, so why not sample all of the regional modes of transport, also? Ok, the railroad system might be the preferable method of travel for any particular state, but find out for yourself . Moreover, even if the bus station is in walking distance from the accommodation, throw financial caution to the end at least one time by splashing out 50 cents for For the ones which are still worried about value for money, I say sit at the front bucket of a Vietnamese Cyclo and get taken across a busy Saigon intersection - for the purchase price of one beer you'll have a vision etched in your mind for all eternity. Then, for the hardcore thrill seekers amongst you, invite your Cyclo Jockey to sit at the chair of death as you peddle him across the intersection...

Adopt the Weird and Wonderful - Do not miss a chance to try something a little out of the ordinary, be it fresh food, local traditions, children's games, or anything else of barbarous tobacco from Javanese street sellers. Get in the swing of it and make somebody's day.

Stay Alert - Little can ruin a trip and taint your view of a nation and its populous more than being careless with your possessions and learning the hard way. Opportunist theft is a simple fact of life, but you can reduce the danger by staying aware of your surroundings and possessions rather than playing to the minority's control.

Be a 1 Bag Wonder - Travel light, travel joyful. Decrease your possessions and life will become so much easier. Firstly, it makes the mechanics of getting from A to B simpler and less stressful. Easier because it is less fat to be humping around involving transportation and accommodation and less size and weight to be swinging around inside the limits of a densely populated bus. It becomes less stressful since the smaller your bag is, the less probable it is you will be separated from it during journeys- and, judging everyone by my pitifully. Additionally, it is more likely you'll be allowed on an already packed bus out for those who have less luggage. This doesn't ring true in Guatemala however, because you can always fit one more person on the bus, however full it is.

Walk the Path Less Trodden - Now that you've got extra time on your hands in each destination, why not explore a bit? Getting off the beaten path doesn't have to mean single handedly paddling a handmade dugout canoe 500 miles through the Amazonian Basin, it might be something as straightforward as forsaking the guidebook recommends for the day and rather scrounging a map or fliers and opting for an aimless wander in a new town. Some of my greatest discoveries have resulted from doing just this.

Terrific sources of info include Tourist Information Offices (though, where available, they vary tremendously in quality), What's On guides, local papers, handouts, fliers, and, of course, fellow travelers, to mention but a few. Spending less time at the well known and'popular' hangouts will also do your budget a huge favor, too.

Keep a Journal - Writing reams of pulp is not for everybody, but it does not have to be like that. A journal can mean many different things to different individuals. It could be a complete scale daily diary or only a kid's notebook from the marketplace where you place labels from local beer bottles (maybe with drunken scribbling below) - the option is yours. For the geeks among us (me included) there is the choice to travel site, and for the idle geeks among us (again, me included) it is even easier to cut and paste excerpts from emails home to family and friends and keep those as your diary.

Whatever form your personal creation may take, the final result is identical. 

Freelance travel writer and fanatical backpacker Nathan Richards desires nothing more than to inspire and encourage other people to satisfy their wanderlust.

Eclectic and Exquisite Gay Travel Experience

Your work has been preventing you from seeing new terrific things out of your comfort zone. You've been working so hard that you tend to forget there are more to life than your job. Why don't you take some of your time to pull yourself from a thousand paper functions and maintain an adventure you'd treasure in a life? Why not put aside little by little some money for a holiday that will teach you exactly what your job can never endow you with? Why not book yourself for a gay vacation and encounter what's meant by life?

Gay travels have been the cure for tired and weary spirits that wander from the corners of shallow fantasies. These journeys with your fellow beings will certainly open an opportunity for you to look into yourself and find greater things concerning you. Through these exquisite homosexual holidays, you'll be privileged to belong to a community of loving and accepting individuals composed of men, women, lesbians and gay. Not just you'll be communing with nature, you will basically be joining with yourself that you've missed during your hours and hours of tedious work.

Dwelling on some diverse gay travels will bring you into a world of discovery. Some packages will provide you with the opportunity to be showing the presents inside you and using these presents for the benefit of the planet as a whole. What use it is to be true to yourself and the world is instructing you in every manner of not to be ashamed of who you are.

Other offers for homosexual travels include an enlightening about your erotic potentials. Through some enticing team activities, you'll have the ability to spot your sensual facets and nurture them for sexy travel experience. This sort of involvement work your way to your ultimate sexual liberty and unblock sexual inhibitions and doubts. By means of breath, body and hand motion and the soothing magic of audio you will eventually get a real feel of sexual satisfaction. These gay travel experiences on sexual accomplishment and realization are lively and enjoyable to your erotic improvement.

Take more than an isolated island off a exceptional shore or indulge in sensual play activities as you travel your way to revival and rejuvenation of the self. Gay travel experiences are specially made for couples abound who'd want to spend romantic evenings in their communion with love, peace, serenity and dedication. Gay vacations help you explore the hidden and breathtaking views of nature as well as yourself.

At each end of fulfilling gay vacations is a brand new you.... virtually more intelligent emotionally and mentally. The revival of your missing self drained through hard work is invaluable benefit from a journey with your loved one. A week-long time out in the complications of life is a unique opportunity for you to renew your vow for the betterment of yourself and for s more powerful relationship with your spouse. So what are you waiting for? Get booked and travel your way to transformation!

[mediocreplaywright]

Reverse

a rewrite of the finale, sorry if it doesn’t make sense, it was rushed and quickly written so i could think of ANYTHING else than what really happened... but this came out of it... Enjoy?

Stefans pov

Caroline had texted me, she, Alaric and the twins were gathered at her house while going through the boxes. Bonnie had gone home to get grimoires and were 5 minutes away by car.

Damon had gone to the clocktower, while Matt and his dad helped evacuate the town.

Everyone was separated for the time being, but soon they would all meet at the armory and have a “damage control” meeting to get a clear picture and estimate what has to be done.

Katherine was dead in the tomb and would probably come back any minute.

And I, myself was down in the tunnels under the school looking for Elena. Nothing so far, but he had time left right. As the thought went, his phone started ringing. Caroline.

“Stefan, Stefan can you hear me?” Her worried voice going through his ears made him panic more than before.

“Yeah, i’m here, whats happening?!” Stefan let out a breath, please tell me that you’re safe.

“we can’t ge..... Stefan where are.... ” The connection was failing and he started running for the opening.

“Caroline! Caroline, can you hear me” he breathed hard. His heart pounding. Almost there....

“Stefan.... Its Happening” He hears her cry out, her voice weak.

“No, no wait, Caroline get out of there!” Damn it, where is the entrance.

“Stefan... I love you” No no no, its not time, its not time yet.

His phone clicked off and Stefan ran faster, but at the beginning of the ladder he looked up at the opening and fire roared above.

He dropped from the ladder and landed on the dirt floor looking up. His vocal chords beginning for an antagonizing scream and his head filled with disbelief

The hours had gone, and it was quiet too quiet... He went up the half burnt ladder and looked around.

HIs home was in ashes

He started calling everyone, maybe they survived, maybe she....

He went everywhere, not even the boarding house was standing, everything was gone, he could see miles at each direction, but nothing that was alive.

Stefan couldn’t stand on his own legs anymore, they gave out and ash went everywhere, like a cloud of dust surrounded him, when he let out a scream that ripped through him.

                                                       ------

Frenetic scientists had come from all over to solve the mystery of “the mystic falls massacre”. They thought it was a gas leak that lead to an explosion under the streets, but they couldn’t figure out how. They called it massacre because they had found bones and human remains everywhere. But little did they know that it was really a massacre, led by Miss Katherine Pierce.

Stefan tried to stand tall, to honor the memory of the lost, but he couldn’t. His brother of over 100 years, his wife, his friends they were all gone. He started drinking and doing absolutely nothing, he cried himself to sleep and during daytime he raided the bar with money he and Damon had collected over the years. Stefan had moved to his apartment in Chicago, living in the guilt of everything he had ever done, talking himself in to that he deserved this pain. 

But one day he had gotten reminded that he was a survivor. He found one of his old diaries tucked away in drawer, it reminded him of how he had seen Caroline at the park one day so many years ago, how free and light she seemed even if there was chaos around her. How she smiled at him and fidgeted around uncomfortably, because then, both knew the feelings were there but none of them really new how to handle it. It was because of that diary he realized he needed to be them, be their way of living in the world.

So he did everything he could to redeem past mistakes, not giving up this time. He went through the list of names on the cupboard door, found their relatives or something associated with them, donations or something to at least try to weigh up what he has done. 

He never took of his wedding band, and he even wore his daylight ring, he wanted to be reminded of them- his past, wherever he’d go . Them being there beside him while he searched redemption and piece. He wouldn’t die, not today, he had to live for them.

He would continue writing in the journal, to honor the dead and to continue believe in the good. Just as she did. And live in the moment. Just as he did.

                         *Stefan Salvatore’s last entry, age 242* That march, 68 years ago, was the day I lost it all: my love, my brother, my friends. Hellfire brought mystic falls to its knees and the only one who survived was the one that should have been dead. I lived in misery until seeking my redemption in honor of myself and my family, today I believe is my last day, I have no guilt left, just an ache of missing the closest to me. I don’t regret living, I regret not knowing how it was supposed to be with my family. I’m old and grey, my body hurts i’m forgetting, my writing capabilities are getting worse, but I guess that is what happens when you have lived two and a half centuries. I was supposed to die first, but now I’m the only one who remembers those years that are soon to be forgotten. My name is Stefan Salvatore, this was my story and now, I’m ready.. "

                                    Obituary of Stefan Salvatore

Stefan Salvatore took his last breath in his sleep, finding his peace. All diaries he ever wrote was buried with him, in memory of his late family. Mr Salvatore was a secretive man, but with a good heart. He lived his life helping people, collecting money to charities and funds. We will always remember him, the old man inte corner of the room, sitting by the window and speculating, telling stories about mystical creatures, his imagination will forever be in our memory of him.

- New Mystics Retirement home

                                                     ----

Stefan opened his eyes and a glow surrounded him, he felt fulfilled and happy. He sat up from the light green grass. To his right a football was placed, he took it up studying it. Then he heard a voice that was that teasing familiarity he had missed. 

“No rules right?” Damon smiled, his eyed filled with tears of joy.

Stefan looked up at him, and stood up

“No rules” Stefan threw the football but right as he Damon was going to throw it back Stefan clashed with his chest. They started to laugh hysterically.

“Its good to see you again, brother”  Stefan was going to respond but as he did Damon continued.

“Lets go, the others are inside.” Damon gestured to the Salvatore mansion behind him. Stefan studied it and then saw Matt and his dad standing by the cars clearly captured by the engines problems, Vicky and Tyler sitting on the grass a few feet over in the sunlight laughing at  them. Stefan caught up with Damon at the entrance, he looked at the house that he just remembered as ruins. 

Damon had gone to Enzo at the pool table now. He saw Alaric, Jo and the kids playing in the living room with no care in the world. Liz and Josie ran around playing with hundred different colors. Liz Forbes and Sheila Bennet was by the fireplace talking, whine in one hand and a book in the other. With all the people the decor felt lighter, it wasn’t dark and gloomy as before, it was filled by joy as it should be.

Speaking of joy, his ears captured the sound of laughter coming from the kitchen, he ran over and saw Jenna, Elena, Bonnie and Caroline standing around the kitchen island talking about something in the magazine in front of them. He looked at her, oh he had missed her.

“Hey” Her head twisted to him at his voice.

Caroline glanced at his hand seeing his wedding band, she bit her lip, happiness shown through her body liked the sun, Caroline threw her arms around him, she kissed him and then looked deeply into his eyes as her sweet voice uttered.

“Welcome home”

                                        The end of HIStory

[uaeflowersonline-blog]

How to Find an Exotic Flower Bouquet in UAE?

Everyone is living a faster life now. Going to the office, business meeting, and fulfilling other essential commitments take most of your time. Often, we forget to take up crucial issues like meeting friends and celebrate events which mend and strengthen our strained relationship with our loved ones. Gifting a flower bouquet forms an integral part of the celebration process.

But owing to a prior commitment and busy schedule, we face difficulty in getting the best flower gifts for our dearest ones. You can solve this problem forever. Order online flower from a leading florist in Dubai and remove the hassle involved in the process. The process is simple and convenient helping anyone to express emotion and feeling to their loved ones.

Most of the flower shops in UAE operate 24/7 offering beautiful gifts day and night. The online florists enable anyone can place an order for gifts from anywhere and anytime. Send flowers to UAE in the comfort of your home ordering online. Theme-based gifts from an extensive collection of flowers with specific meaning and hues are available. This is the real beauty of using online florist service instead of going for the traditional method.

That was not possible earlier as people need to shop for bouquets going to the physical stores. That used to require a right amount of time and money. But now, the whole process is so relaxed and hassle-free now. You can book the flower bouquet at the last minute in case you have forgotten to buy for an immediate event.

Everyone loves exotic and elegant blooms. Norms say to buy and gift fresh blossoms to anyone to bring the highest delight and happiness. Or, with an array of beautiful blooms, you can surprise your loved ones in the last during the special moments. Online flower delivery service enables anyone to get the desired gift within three hours in Dubai, Sharjah, Amman, and Jordan.

Looking to buy flower gifts for your loved ones?

Alissarflowers may help you in the process. They provide simple to luxury gift items for different occasions and events. They are the top flower shop in Jordan, UAE, and Qatar for gifting solutions. Contact them to buy gifts today.

[shareeanne-deactivated]

What to Do If You Feel Trapped by Your Circumstances

“As long as we know we’re trapped, we still have a chance to escape.” ~Sara Grant

Talking to someone last week who had to ‘volunteer’ to return to their country of birth, a country defined by the United Nations as one of the least developed in the world in terms of its economic conditions, was humbling.

While I often find myself feeling trapped by the longevity, monotony, and intensity involved in child rearing, I wasn’t sure what I could say that might help someone who had been the victim of identity theft and, through lack of resources, had no option but to leave their family and the country they considered home.

Hearing how anxious, depressed, and lonely she felt, I wondered what I could say that might make a difference. Then, as I relaxed, I realized that our situations might not be entirely different after all.

I won’t deny that my quality of life in terms of living conditions and freedom to move around is fabulous. And I cannot deny, having lived this way, to have that taken away would feel dreadful. But I knew my sympathy would do nothing to change her circumstances.

Instead, I took a different approach and, after the conversation that followed, I realized that what was being said applied as much to me as it did to her, and pretty much universally to anyone feeling trapped. While one person’s circumstances could be judged harsher than another’s, and there would likely be little debate about that, everything is relative, and we can all feel pain and entrapment in equal measure.

The question is what to do about it that is helpful right now?

Well, the overall aim is to feel your inner power, rather than a sense of hopelessness—no one can be free when they feel they are in chains. Regardless of our circumstances, how we think and feel about them is always within our control and our best hope of changing them.

Here are the aspects we talked through:

Surrender

It’s our struggle with ‘what is’ that causes pain. The longer we try to resist the pain, the more it persists. Yet the worst has already happened; our circumstances are what they are.

On an emotional level perhaps you’ve sunk to the depths of despair, which sits in a pit of hopelessness. Understand that depression is healthier than despair, and anger and frustration are healthier still. So when you are feeling emotions like anger, you have begun to take back your power, to acknowledge your right to have your freedom of choice, and you are going in the right direction.

Do everything you feel inspired to do from a practical perspective to move in the direction you want to go. It’s also a good idea to sense check this with someone who can be objective about your situation and perhaps even offer other suggestions.

The key here, though, is inspiration. If something you are doing, or others suggest, feels like a lead weight around your heart, that is your intuition shouting “other way.” In that case, keep to the bare minimum of what you feel duty bound to in this moment.

I can remember back to trying to conceive and, after four failed pregnancies (my children are pregnancies five and six), there were a number of years when I couldn’t even get pregnant again. The well meaning advice was always “forget about it and it will just happen.”

That kind of advice infuriated me. I’d think, “How am I supposed to forget something that dispatches a monthly reminder?” My partner and I did everything we could think of that felt right and, in the end, had to leave it to fate. It was at that point I became pregnant with our first child.

Once you have done everything you feel inspired to do, let it go.

While we ultimately all want to experience joy and love, as that is our natural state, ease and neutrality are a good goal at this point.

I remember a scene in Nashville, one of my favorite TV dramas, where one character literally takes another who is wallowing in grief and anger and drops him in the middle of the woods. He was furious. It was actually a beautiful sunny day, but his only choice was to walk for miles. As he walked you could see him physically become unbound and relax more.

Meditation and getting out into nature are great ways to bring ourselves back into balance, especially if we can do them regularly. This advice should never be underestimated. Our natural world is an amazing companion in the face of feeling trapped.

Change the Narrative

In order to feel our power and create change in our lives, we need to stop seeing ourselves as victims. You are in fact the hero of your story, and it’s likely the best parts have yet to unfold.

You have to stop saying (even to yourself), “I don’t want to be here” because you are making yourself feel worse. That doesn’t mean you can or should start to think, “I love being here,” because you know that is not your truth. It is more about trying to focus on anything and everything that makes you feel better about being where you are.

For me that’s easy, as child-rearing is fairly paradoxical and, as energy-sapping as it can be at times, it’s just about the most inspiring, enlightening, and fulfilling thing I’ve ever done. For that person I was talking to, while she is currently trapped in a third world country, it is one of the most beautiful countries in our world and there is an abundance of opportunities to help others.

Take Your Power Back

Rather than worrying about how to break out of this hole, bring light into it and life will, in its right timing, show you the way.

In the meantime, look for other ways to find power and be purposeful. I have a friend who was feeling trapped by the need to make money, yet yearned for more meaning in her life. She took a job helping children with special needs, which—while not her calling—holds purpose for her, and she feels like she’s making a difference.

You must look for ways in which you can be free/ Your thoughts are key, as how you view your situation can make all the difference.

A powerful way to change your perspective is to consider that, while you may feel trapped right now, life-changing events can happen at any time—but you have to be open to notice them. If you look back on the amazing things that have happened in your life, you’ll start to see the importance of little unpredictable moments: chance meetings, something you happened to read or watch, or something someone said.

If you can imagine that the new circumstances you dream of require some of these serendipities to line up, and you have an important contribution to make or an important lesson to learn in the process, it may help you feel better about your present circumstances. Think of it as a journey paved with stones that you can only see when you are looking for the best in where you are right now, and then jump from one to the next as inspiration arises; these are your lifeline.

As you get used to feeling your freedom and power again in the smallest of ways, life will start to respond.

Fill Your Cup

To get there we have to focus on anything other than those aspects of our circumstances causing us to suffer. Do things, big or small, that distract you and make you feel better. Read, watch, and listen to whatever fills your cup.

Again, make it a priority to get out among nature. It sounds cliché, but our natural world is like a strong, steady heartbeat, and it really helps you to gain perspective while holding you in a nurturing space.

Write down all the things you are thankful for. I used to write out “I am grateful for…” but found it more personal and powerful to say “Thank you for…”

If you struggle to get started on this, start with things that mostly everyone takes for granted, like the sun coming up each day. Despite our circumstances, there are usually people, places, knowledge, experiences, and other things—aspects of our selves—we are thankful to have had or currently have in our life.

Reach out and help others in ways that are meaningful to you. Your experiences can help people, which will help you to reconnect with the love within you. It is harder to be lonely when you allow this broader part of you to take its place in the light.

Trust

Circumstances change; this is not forever. You have to trust that, in time, solutions will present themselves and you will be inspired to act in ways that lead you where you want to go.

Here is a practice I learned from Anthony William to rebuild trust. Each evening as the sun is setting, take time just to notice it. This small act, done regularly, helps us to reconnect at a primordial level with the rhythm of life. Just as we can trust that the sun will rise and set each day, as we reengage with that our basic trust in life to support us also restores.

I believe there are no accidents in this life. This means there is something about your situation that will help you (and likely others) in the long run. While you might not feel it right now, you are powerful and you are here to make a difference. Do not give up on yourself, this world needs you.

I also believe you’ve been called to this point for a reason, and you are not ever given anything you can’t handle. You can get through this and even find the best parts of it.

In the meantime, be strong, be kind to yourself, and know that you are enough and you are worthy.

About Shona Keachie

Shona teaches by the power of example how to find our inner truth among the often harried day-to-day practicalities of life. She regularly provides people from all walks of life with a fresh perspective on anything they feel stuck with and is happy for you to get in touch. To follow her blog click here.

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The post What to Do If You Feel Trapped by Your Circumstances appeared first on Tiny Buddha.