12 Ways to Take Your Life Back When You're Broken

By Gwen Barret

Many times, life always knocks us down and we are left broken. But what happens after this? We need to get up and shake off the dust. After all, life must continue. But how do we do this, you may ask? Here are 15 ways to take your life back when you are feeling lost, broken and without a sense of purpose.

1. Let Go
   The only way to heal is by letting go. Leave the past in the past. You cannot go back and change it. There is no point going over it again and again as it will make you bitter for nothing. Give yourself permission to let go of the hurt and regrets, and embrace a better future for yourself.
2. Work Out
   Jillian Michaels once said, “Fitness isn’t about a crunch or a push up. It’s about taking your power back.” This is one is especially true if you haven’t been working out. The workout will help you regain control of your body and mind; you prove to yourself how strong you can be. Research has shown us that exercise is a great way to fight stress, depression and help us sleep better among other things. You can begin with simple exercises and move on to more difficult exercises with time. After all, a strong body equals a strong mind.
3. Embrace Your Space
   Now is the best time to clean that section of your apartment that you have kept on postponing every time you clean the apartment. Move all the furniture and thoroughly clean every corner. Repaint or redecorate it if you can afford to. After all, a cluttered and disorganized apartment can increase your stress levels. Make your home comfortable and beautiful.
4. Get Out of Town
   Take a week off work or simply a weekend to get out of town and change your scenery. Take a solo vacation and visit somewhere that fascinates you that you have always wanted to visit. During your stay, unplug yourself from every part of your life. Simply inform someone that you will be out of town and switch off your laptop and phone. Take this time to focus on yourself and healing your mind. You will be amazed at how the simple change in scenery works wonders to change your mindset and feelings.
5. Make Friends
   Now is the time to let new people into your life. Humans always have a positive effect on their fellow human beings. Make friends with people who make you laugh and make you forget the pain. With time, you will begin thinking and behaving like your friends, making the healing process fairly easy.
6. Change Your Appearance
   You need to welcome change into your life. A little outward change may change your outlook to reflect the inner change you are going through. You can cut your hair or dye it to a different color. Change your makeup, your clothing and sense of style. Something that the old you could have never done. By doing this, you acknowledge that you are going through an emotional process but, you are making an effort to get over it and better yourself.
7. Unplug
   Disconnect yourself from your internet life; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat or even email. Your job or schedule may not allow it, but what about at night when you are winding up? Sometimes, disconnecting may be the best way to help you let go of your worries and how to look perfect for other people. Instead, you begin to examine yourself from your own lenses. What truly makes you happy and your passions, instead of what makes other people happy or how they want me to be.
8. Surround Yourself with People Who Love You
   When everything else falls apart, your family and friends will always be there to support you. Surround yourself with them. Maybe you had neglected them, but now, you can make up for the lost time. Take part in fun activities that will keep you off your worries and remind yourself how lucky you are to have people who care.
9. Join A Group of People with Similar Experiences
   A problem shared is a problem half solved. By joining a group of people with similar experiences, you make new friends and open up for yourself to people who understand what you are going through. They are also in a better position to guide you on how to get through it and forget the pain and hurt you are undergoing. Knowing you are not alone out there will work wonders on your healing process. If others were able to heal, you too can, right?
10. Set Boundaries
    For you to heal and reclaim yourself, you need to set up and enforce boundaries. There are people out there who are not happy when you are, and are out to corrupt you with their negativity. If you decide to let them in, then you will probably drown with them. Come up with a list of behaviors that you will or will not tolerate. Kindly, but firmly, let people know whenever they are trespassing and make them aware that you will not tolerate it. This will be difficult, especially when you enforce it to the people you love, but if they truly love you, they will cease and support you.
11. Try Something Scary
    You need to learn about how to conquer your fears. To do this, you need to try something scary. It may be mountain climbing, sky diving or swimming. What is the one thing that has always scared you out of your mind? As long as it is not dangerous, you need to try it out. Overcoming your fears will boost your self-confidence and in the process earn yourself self-respect. The strength you gain in this adventure will go a long way in healing your broken soul.
12. Forgive and Let Go
    You cannot move over the incident if you haven’t given yourself a chance to forgive. Forgive yourself if you feel that it is your fault. Forgive those who let you down in your hour of need, those who might have contributed to the hurt intentionally or unintentionally. Forgive the Universe for letting it happen to you, after all, it could have happened to anyone else. Keeping the hurt, anger and fear in yourself will only trap you in the damaging past and prevent you from truly healing from the experience. Once you have given yourself the chance to forgive, you are finally able to let in happiness into your own life and a chance to seize bigger opportunities and make pleasant memories.

Every single successful person in this world, has always faced a turning point that made them change their life completely. If they hadn’t changed, they wouldn’t have become successful. You too you can make that choice and begin a new chapter in your life that is free from unpleasant memories. The choice is in your hands. Make the right decision.