Our lives don’t always go according to plan. What we wanted to be when we were kids, kept changing and kept getting practical as we grew up. Often times, we end up having a life, far from what have we envisioned, making our day to day life a bit depressing. We scroll through our social media feed and those picture perfect Instagram posts doesn’t really help much…

Today, I’ll talk about how to lead a fulfilling life even if we are stuck with a 9-5 work, even if our daily life revolves around a boring schedule of getting up early, leave for work, come home late, eat, set the alarm and go to sleep. I have been there, I have done that, and I know how depressing life can get at times. When I first joined work as a Data Analyst, I loved my work, I made friends, I hung out with them, I learnt, I got promoted and I was having the best time of my life. It was at my work that I learnt that blogging can be considered a career. But things took a U-turn once I learnt the hard way that colleagues can rarely be friends, and things just went downhill from there until I left my job. But like they say, everything happens for a reason, and that reason was finding myself and becoming a blogger.

So how to do it? How to stay positive even if your life rotates around a boring schedule?

Those picture perfect Instagram posts? Don’t let them depress you and make you compare your life with them. Rather let them inspire you. Go hang out with your friends; be in touch with your old friends. I know, this is coming from a person who rejects most offers from friends to hang out and have fun but this is something I want to change about myself. Sometimes when my friends don’t take a ‘no’ for an answer, I go out and end up having more fun than I could imagine and I feel refreshed and charged up. I know it can be very, very tough for people with anxiety, I myself suffer from mild anxiety, and I’ve noticed that the anxiety attacks just comes prior to the meetings, but once I force myself to go out and meet my friends, I end up going with the flow and my anxiety just vanishes into thin air. I can understand it might not be the case with people who suffers from severe anxiety, but the more you hide under your blanket, the more your anxiety gets the better of you. So go out, have fun, go for a movie, or for a brunch. If your 9-5 job doesn’t allow you enough time, utilize the weekends, at least once in a while.

Check if you have any friends whose office or home is nearby; meet up once in a while. I’m not saying make new friends, because I myself am a big time ambivert; I suffer from severe anxiety when it comes to meeting new people, and I’m working on it. I’m not even talking about hanging out with your colleagues because my personal experience says ‘don’t do it’. I know there are people who’ll say otherwise, but let’s be honest, not everybody is that lucky.

Keep a journal; it will be your best buddy. I know our day to day life doesn’t allow as much time but my life has changed for better ever since I started bullet journaling. I’ve been nothing but positive and productive ever since I started bullet journaling. It’s a lot different than a regular journal, takes a lot less time but helps you track your whole day while keeping you positive. At the end of the day when you’ll track down your whole day, you’ll have a sense of accomplishment for all the positive things you did, and at the same time you’ll know what not to repeat the next day. (I’ll do a post on bullet journaling in a couple of weeks)

If you don’t have enough time to go for a vacation, plan a small weekend getaway. Or at least roam around your own city. Do you know your city that well? There must be a horticulture in your city? A sanctuary or a dock or anything around the outskirt? If not anything, look for a spot around the outskirt and set out for a memorable road trip. It’s going to be worth it.

Do something new, something you’ve always wanted to but never got around doing it. Sign up for a yoga class, or take up a new hobby. Or maybe redecorate your room for a change. You’ll never know how little changes can make difference in your life.

Visit a therapist or a psychologist if you are suffering from depression, anxiety or stress. I talk about mental health over and over again on my blog and this is something that I take very seriously. Personally, I take occasional trips to the therapist’s office even when my life is perfect, because I feel like dumping some past garbage, and it also reassures that I’m going on the right track. Mental issue is a topic I often talk about in my blog, and it’s a taboo we should get rid of. So, do make an appointment if you feel that you need help.

And lastly, count the blessings. You may not be where you imagined yourself when you were younger, but think about everything you have achieved, everything you learnt and everything you have now that you’ve craved for some years ago.

Your approach towards life wouldn’t be positive unless you actually try to approach positively, and you are the only person that can make it happen.

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