Feeling Hopeless? 13 Light-Filled Things that'll Lift Your Mood

There are times when you think life isn't going to get much better. Feeling hopeless can be a dark time. However, try to get yourself to see the light.

During my university days, there were moments when I thought my life was going to look like this forever. I had a series of depressive moments and feeling hopeless where I would stay inside every night and watch the news with my parents.

I didn't see any friends, I hardly spoke to anyone, I just completely vanished into my own world. Though, sometimes we do need that break from everything, there's a fine line between taking a time out and removing yourself from everything.

What to do when you're feeling hopeless

Feeling hopeless can happen even when you're at your best. Don't think of it as something abnormal, you can't feel like you're on cloud nine all the time. If you're currently feeling like your life is in the gutter, whether it is or isn't, doesn't matter. Those are your feelings, so don't undervalue them.

Though you need to give a solid try to get yourself out of this darkness. It's definitely not going to be easy and you may feel as though it's not possible to get out of that darkness, but it's time to try to see the light.

#1 Remember that life isn't static. Your life is constantly changing. Things are going to happen to you, good or bad, whether you like it or not. This is also the beauty of life. Don't think that your current situation is something that will keep with you for your entire life. You have to accept this and also embrace this part of life because that's the way it is for everyone.

#2 Take the best from hard times. We all experience hard times. When I was feeling hopeless, I lost two close friendships at the same time. It was extremely difficult for me to emotionally process and I was grieving. Rather than pushing away and hiding, like I did, I should have taken the experience and learned from it instead. Though certain situations are unpleasant, you have to take the best from them.

#3 Look into the past. When you're going through a hard time, you need to look in the past and think about the other difficult moments you went through and what you did during that time. I know you've heard me say before that you shouldn't look in the past, but in this instance, it's a good idea.

#4 Though things are bad, you still have a lot good in life. Do not let the feelings of hopelessness distract you from the positive things in your life. There is a lot of things you have in your life to be grateful for. It's easy to get sucked into a certain mindset and completely forget all the positive things you have in life.

#5 Direct these hopeless feelings. Direct them into a positive difference. Yes, you're feeling hopeless so write a poem or paint your emotions. During the periods of hopelessness I had, I was extremely creative, however, didn't use my emotions, instead, I let them sit inside me. Use these feelings of hopelessness and create something.

#6 Take it easy on yourself. You don't have to put so much pressure on getting yourself out of those feelings of hopelessness. Pressuring yourself to feel the opposite doesn't necessarily work. Instead, ease up on yourself. You acknowledge that you're feeling this way and take your time, doing things that you want to do and which make you feel better.

#7 Talk to other hopeless people. That didn't sound so good, but you know what I mean. Talk to other people who may also be feeling hopeless. You'll need support and sometimes, taking support from people who haven't experienced hopelessness isn't much of a help. However, if you know someone who also experienced this, you can get advice and relate to them on an emotional level.

#8 You don't need a self-help book. I know you probably think that getting a self-help book will help you, but do they know you? Do they know why you're feeling this way or who you are as a person? No. You don't necessarily need to read a book that tells you how you should live your life. What you need is support.

#9 Talk to a therapist. I say this about everything and I say it for good reason. Talking to a therapist is great. I recommend that everyone talks to one. This person isn't biased, they're not going to tell your secrets to anyone, it's a safe place. It's the only place where you don't have to feel judged or ashamed for feeling a certain way. Plus, they can give you personalized tools that'll help you out.

#10 Fantasize. Sit back, close your eyes and just fantasize about your life, what you want to do and where you want to go. Sometimes, we get so wrapped up in reality that we think that's all that's there. But, that's not true. You have dreams and aspirations, you just pushed them to the back of your mind. Now is the time to bring them out.

#11 Cry. But really, don't be scared to shed those tears. Ball like a baby, it's the best thing you can do. Keeping your emotions pent up inside of you is the worst thing you can do. Crying is natural. Plus, it helps balance your emotions, allowing you a clearer head. So, get into bed, turn on the TV or sit in silence and just let it all out.

#12 Treat yourself. Don't forget about you. Yes, you're feeling hopeless but you're also alive. So, make sure to remind yourself that you love you. Take yourself out on a date, go shopping, get a haircut, whatever you need to do to pamper yourself and reconnect.

#13 Explore your passions. People don't usually do this when they're feeling hopeless which makes complete sense. Why would you explore your passions when you see nothing but darkness? But this is the best time to explore your passions. Perhaps it'll help jump start some creativity inside of you or help you realize that there things in the world that you care about.

Feeling hopeless is a horrible feeling to experience. Though it's normal to have these feelings, it's important to move yourself out of the darkness.