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It’s no secret that a large majority of the population worldwide live an unhappy life. Most of us have gotten to that point in our lives where everything ceases to have meaning. So many questions burn through our minds daily with no one to answer. Why do we exist? What is the meaning of life? What purpose am I meant to achieve?
It can be overwhelming expecting to magically find answers in the universe and only getting silence in return. It feels like a dark tunnel where you are isolated from the rest of the world, and the only things to keep you company are the questions echoing in your head.
“Life has no meaning. Each of us has meaning, and we bring it to life. It is a waste to be asking the question when you are the answer.” – Joseph Campbell.
Am I the Only One That Hates My Life?
It’s a tough place to be in. Everybody else around you seems to have figured out their lives but not you. The despair and hopelessness from your situation keep eating at your mental health. What you don’t know is that you’re not the only one who feels that way. Many people still struggle to find direction and purpose for their lives, despite the happiness and contentment you see on your social media feed.
Many successful people and celebrities have struggled with mental illnesses like anxiety disorders and depression at one point or another. Some of them even turned to substance abuse to cope with that hopelessness and negative thoughts of self-hatred. But you see them on TV shows and assume they have everything figured out. Economic success, possessions, and wealth are not the sole indicators of a happy life.
If you use others as a yardstick to criticize yourself, you are only fanning the flames of self-hatred on an unfounded basis. Granted that your life is hard at the moment, and you hate it, but it doesn’t have to remain that way. You can have a new life – a better life.
I Know How You Feel, I Went Through This Also
In 2019 I had a severe life crisis and my complete life crushed and so my happiness. I felt in a deep depression with suicidal thoughts. I had tough times and was not able to enjoy even the most beautiful places like our beautiful beach in Barcelona. I was not able to be happy, nowhere. It seemed as if there were no hope at all and I already planned my suicide.
I took the bold step to a therapist & life coach and had worked hard to rediscover myself, my core, and my strength.
I started seeing the bright side of life again – the things I couldn’t see through my tainted glasses of depression.
When you have dark moments, it is hard to see the light. It is hard to imagine that life will ever get better. It is hard to imagine that there is something for you to live for. But the truth is that you can believe in yourself and step out of the dark and make your life light and bright and colorful again. Check out my best life quotes that will help you to enjoy your life.
It may not be easy, but it is absolutely worth it. 20 months later I am here with my new blog and living a life of joy and peace and happiness and enjoying the journey every day.
Why Do I Hate My Life?
There are so many reasons people hate their lives, but the one that stands out the most is dissatisfaction from living a life without purpose. It will be hard to live a life of satisfaction without a reason to get out of bed in the morning.
Many of us aspire to be wealthy people. We look up to other wealthy people and dream of living their lives. We want to do what they do, afford what they can, and travel the world while enjoying the best it has to offer. So what do we do? We set out to get the best jobs we find that can bring us that kind of lifestyle, no matter the cost.
Some people (the fortunate ones) may get it right on their first trial. But for the rest of the world, either of two things can happen.
You either get the job and find out that the version of success you have in your head is not all that it is cracked up to be. You will make a lot of sacrifices on that journey. Most people give up family and pleasure for their careers. So you have made your money, but don’t know how to enjoy it. Nobody prepared you for that part of life. That’s when you begin to discover that money can buy you a few pleasures, but it cannot buy you genuine happiness and fulfillment in life. The money will not fill the void that the sacrifices you have made left.
The second thing that could happen is that you find the job and make the necessary sacrifices, but it amounts to nothing. It becomes an endless rat race of work and responsibility piled on top of each other with no time for anything else. Now, you have no money, no friends, and you have successfully pushed your loved ones away. The few times you get on social media, all of your peers seem to have their life figured out while you are still struggling to make heads or tails of the direction your life is headed. You spend an infinite amount of time making comparisons, and your inner critic works overtime, damaging your self-confidence and self-esteem in the process. The self-hatred begins; “I hate my life,” “I wish I could be more like XYZ,” “Why can’t I be successful/rich/happy like ABC.”
There are many, many more reasons, why people hate their life. If you want to share yours, please leave a comment.
Whose Life Are You Really Living?
We all have a belief system of who we are and aspirations of who we want to be and what we should be doing. Sometimes those aspirations don’t match up with who we need to be and what we have to do.
When you choose a path to follow because that’s what is expected of you or what everyone else is doing, you are only setting yourself up for a world of pain and failure. That’s because you are subconsciously carrying on someone else’s idea of how you should live your own life.
The first step to change your life and living a better and happier life is to take back control of your life. You can do that by learning to differentiate where your own desires end and where someone else’s influence over your life begins.
Ask yourself if you are doing things because you love/care about them or because others expect you to do. Typically, passion will give your willpower and motivation a fresh boost every single day. Living a life that’s not yours means a life without passion. You cannot drive your life based on sheer will alone; you will eventually get tired and lose steam at some point. Check out my motivational quotes for success that will inspire you to succeed in your life.
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What to Do if You Hate Your Life
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
The best way to stop yourself from hating your life is to give yourself something to love about your life. A fulfilling life comes from doing things that build up to happiness and joy. When you go to bed at night, you do so knowing there is something that will make you jump out of bed the next day.
The Japanese believe in a concept called ikigai – one of the reasons they live a long, happy, and fulfilled life. Ikigai simply means “your reason for living” or a life of value. It is what makes you jump out of bed every morning with a will to live.
Ikigai encourages you to find pleasure in everything you do. We all have something to live for – ikigai – when you discover it, it improves the quality of your life. Your life no longer becomes something you just tolerate or hate. You now have a reason to get out of bed every morning and live.
Stop trying to live a life that doesn’t belong to you. Find fulfillment and happiness from doing the things that bring meaning to your life. If you want to spend more time at home with your loved ones, then, by all means, do it.
How to Be Happy Again
“Your own self-realization is the greatest service you can render the world.” – Sri Ramana Maharshi.
1. Letting go of your misery and hatred: To embrace happiness, you first have to let go of your misery and hate. Most people cling to misery like they would a best friend because they are afraid of daring to dream and being let down again. But if you don’t shed the emotional baggage that comes with your self-hatred, bitterness, fear, and self-criticism, you will never be able to embrace happiness wholeheartedly.
2. Start living life by your own rules: You don’t need to prove yourself to anyone else. At the end of the day, the only opinion about your life that should matter is yours. Don’t put yourself under unnecessary pressure trying to fit into a standard that you don’t like. Do things because you love them and because you want to. Not because you feel pressured to do so. Go easy on yourself and stop comparing yourself to other people.
3. Practice self-care: Self-care is important to maintain your mental health. It is a way of indulging yourself in things that make you happy and peaceful. That includes learning how to say no to things that make you feel uncomfortable and bring no meaning to your life. Do at least one pleasurable activity each day – even if that means curling up in bed with your favorite book or TV show.
4. Develop healthy habits: You do not have to undergo drastic changes to live a healthy lifestyle. Eat more clean, whole, and healthy foods. Sleep for at least 8 hours each day. Exercise, but don’t go overboard with it. If you are new to exercise, try yoga, take long leisurely walks, or go hiking. Most importantly, avoid alcohol and drugs as they are known chemical depressants.
Photo by Jared Rice on Unsplash
5. Create your own support system: This is not the time to isolate your family members or friends. You need their continuous support and encouragement to get through the coming days. Connect with your trusted friends and family members to build a loving relationship that feeds your happiness and sense of fulfillment.
6. Ask for help: Sometimes, self-help might not be enough. There is no need to be ashamed. Reach out to trained professionals, like life coaches and therapists, and support groups to help you find meaning and happiness in your life.
“Anybody who is one with what he or she does is building the new earth.” – Eckhart Tolle.
When you find purpose in your life doing things that you love, you no longer have to deal with those feelings of inadequacy and self-hatred. Your life becomes enjoyable and takes on a new meaning.