15 Ways to Dig Out of Discouragement
The only reason encouragement matters is discouragement is real.
Positive thinking addresses the reality of negative. Dark feelings give relevance and power to positive.
15 ways to dig out of discouragement:
- Address the problem of feeling like you’re the only one. Ask trusted friends if they ever feel discouraged. In this sense, misery loves company.
- Change your environment. Get out. Get away. Change a routine.
- Sleep, but don’t over-sleep. Rest, but don’t over-rest.
- Take long walks.
- Lift someone else. Get outside yourself.
- Ride it out. Give yourself time.
- Be kind to others. Hold the door open. Smile at people. Say thank you often and loudly.
- Celebrate progress.
- Finish a task that you’ve been putting off.
- Let go anger. Forgive. Release bitterness. Just draw a line and start fresh with people. Don’t expect your pound of flesh.
- Protect yourself from blood suckers.
- Evaluate yourself. Use discouragement as motivation to reflect.
- Record what you’re learning about yourself and leadership.
- Remember that negative experiences often change us for the better.
- Pray.
Don’t:
- Beat yourself up because you feel discouraged.
- Wait for others to encourage you. Encourage yourself.
- Make important decisions.
What do you do to encourage yourself?
How do you encourage others?
All great suggestions but I’d add one more – one that might well be the most important when you are at the bottom of the discouragement curve – give a hug to get a hug 🙂
Thanks Joe. Touch is powerful. Great add!
I recommend changing positions with numbers 15 and 1 on your list.
Thanks Kenny.
Thanks Dan. It so important for us to not allow others to determine our attitude. Happiness is a decision. Just like love. We don’t wait for others to encourage us in order to feel encouraged. Whenever someone says, “Have a good day.” my usual response is, pleasantly, “That’s the plan!”
Thanks Alan. As I read your comment, I thought that waiting for others to encourage us might be a source of discouragement. 🙂
The other thing that came to mind is when people say kind words to us it’s useful to hear and enjoy them.
Love your proactive approach.
wow…fighting it badly right now…timely post for me
Thanks Brian. I hear you man!
Timely and useful, thanks.
Thanks LB.
Thanks, Dan. This is exactly what I needed right now. Already doing some of these, but need to do (or in some cases, not do) all of them.
Best for the journey, Breck.
I did some of those .. Most difficult was letting go of anger. I had to do that twice in the last few years. Now, I feel like I am progressing again. Anger weighs you down. It’s like a weight strapped to your ankle. It pulls you down to the ocean bed and does not give you the space to look at the beauty of ocean life.
Thanks Rajiv. I’m with you. Some of the dark emotions hang on. You let them go and they come back, then you let them go again.
Thank you for sharing part of your story. It’s encouraging.
Thanks Dan; I’m enjoying the daily inspiration.
The conversation reminds me of a statement one of my uncles sometimes makes. He says, “Have a good day, unless you have other plans!” Seems to me, sometimes having a good day has to be intentional!
Thanks Enrique. It seems we shouldn’t leave our good days to chance. Love it.
Good morning Dan;
At times it’s hard to conjure up a list of ‘Discouragement-Benefits’ but I must say Dan discouragement play’s at least 2 undeniably positive role’s in my life. First and foremost, discouragement serve’s me well as a (Reality Check). A life absent of discouragement can easily create in us the perception that, “we’re all that & uh-bag-uh Chips.” Discouragement is a wonderful reality check, fact is there are many benefits to discouragement. But most importantly, “IT KEEP’S ME HUMBLE…” Sustained success has a way of causing us to think a bit highly of ourselves. Without discouragement we begin to believe we’re “INVINCIBLE”, and that’s a dangerous place to be. When things are going great and life is just ‘hunky-dory’, “yea, I said hunky-dory Dan”, we get lazy. We quit working to improve our ‘A’-Game. Suddenly we turn a blind eye to future obstacle’s, problem’s, challenges and change’s resulting in being vastly under-prepared for life’s inevitable set-back’s. We don’t bother to come up with (Contingency Plan’s), besides “we don’t need em’,, WE’RE ALL THAT!
Without any discouragement in my life, life would quickly become boring, outcomes would always be ‘predictable’, causing SGT Steve to become, “A VERY DULL UNMOTIVATED BOY.”
Discouragement keep’s me humble, but it also keep’s me focused on the fact that none of us can ever sit on our laurels as though “we made it, we’re there, we’re at the top of our game & we can’t possibly be beat.”
Discouragement may at time’s “Cut like a knife, but it also keep’s me Sharp as a Razor.”
Good one my friend
“Cheers Dan”
SGT Steve
so inspirational wanna reblog it please
Discouragement is absolutely real and no one is exempt from it. I have found that when I am discouraged the best remedies are to serve others or take a break and do something I enjoy physically (e.g. bike ride or run). Also finding some ways to get some small wins can help a lot. As you mentioned, getting some small tasks done and out of the way can help us build momentum, which can lift our spirit. Finally, the company we keep can also have a big impact. It is very tough to remain positive in an environment that is less than encouraging.
Good post. I have found “you learn the most when you are at you worst”. But this only happen if 3 things occur. 1) get out of the woods. The saying you can not see the forest for the trees is applicable here. Once you are out of the situation you can see the lessons. 2) Introspective. I have and seen many people repeat the same mistake over and over. Until you realize the common denominator is you, nothing will change. The first instinct for most is to deflect, blame and avoid responsibility, only to repeat it again. 3) Take a moment to reflect. It is tied to number 2, but it takes time to review, understand, ask yourself what would I do different, ask friends, pastor / minister, councillor, mentor. It is the soul searching moment. Moving to forgive, understand put in safe guards and learn. The only way you know you were successful is when a similar situation comes around there is a different out come, mainly because how you chose to handle it.
Quoting: “10. Let go anger. Forgive. Release bitterness. Just draw a line and start fresh with people. Don’t expect your pound of flesh. 11. Protect yourself from blood suckers.”
My wife and I are dealing with a situation for which #10 is the course of action we’re seeking to pursue. (A great book recommended to us: “Do Yourself a Favor – Forgive” by Joyce Meyers. Has been quite helpful where I personally was quite skeptical.) I have to note however that unfortunately, thus far, our overtures to the others involved has made #11 so very important…
Thanks as always!!!
Great post..!! I try and put #15 as #1, but I am just human……
Great list, Dan, especially the tips on looking outside yourself and finding ways to serve others. A few years ago, I discovered the power of creating a Victory Log, where you make a list of 50 positive things you’ve accomplished in your life, no matter how large or small, and then read it every day. Got this idea from Judy Robinett, and I recorded a 5-minute video with details about it on my blog: http://goo.gl/wUjdkS
When you focus on things you’ve done well, you’re reminding yourself about your capabilities. I’ve found this valuable in working through discouraging moments/setbacks because I realize I already have whatever I need to successfully handle the current challenge.
And related to this, I consistently find that ACTION is a big part of the solution – even if it’s a small step, just so it’s a forward movement. I start building momentum and I feel better when I can see I’ve gotten SOMEthing completed.
I read your blog every day. It is constantly creating a healthier culture within my company and between my colleagues. This one was great. Just this morning I had a leadership failure and had to apologize to my team. I felt discouraged, and this helped me move forward. Thanks!
Valuable:
“Wait for others to encourage you. Encourage yourself”
…and without sounding like double-speak, I think a trusted friend can be very valuable, because we can become dulled by discouragement, a friend reminding us of real past achievements is valuable helping us see through the fog.
Procrastination can be such a deadly disease. I wish I could get myself to stop putting off stuff
This is wonderful, meanwhile, i think i am doing almost but i love this “Let go anger. Forgive. Release bitterness. Just draw a line and start fresh with people. Don’t expect your pound of flesh.” as this had helped me fix a lot of issues. Good one