On Healing: What Works for Me When Life Gets Hard

This doesn't sound as easy as it appears. It might be hard for somebody with low self-esteem to acknowledge and thank themselves for their strengths during tough times.

Humans are social animals who don't live in isolation, which means you'll definitely have interactions with the outside world. No matter how much you take in from the world, I'm sure it's not always good and positive - just varying in degree.

Daily gratitude is a great way to thank yourself for what you've done and achieved. I keep a notebook by my bed and write in it before sleep. I hope that in the longer term, this will create a snowballing effect and make you calm and self-grateful no matter what happens.

There were times I got stuck in the loop of consuming information but never taking action. I'd watch productivity videos, buy planners, and journal about my goals, but every time I thought about "starting to do," it felt painful.

The lesson I learned is: stop thinking, just do it. Though this can be hard - even most of the time - but as long as you start the momentum, it gets pretty easy afterwards. Setting too many small goals can feel daunting at the start and even make it harder to begin, so I'd suggest balancing the number of goals you set.

Distractions also help. Instead of falling into emotional spirals you can't get out of, doing things to distract your body from emotional thinking can be just as effective.

Working out and gym exercising have always been recommended, and there's a reason why - because they work. Going out for a walk, ordering a dessert, or just simply keeping yourself busy is a distraction. It might be hard to start the momentum as mentioned above, but focusing on the benefits and happiness you gain from those distraction behaviours might give you motivation to begin.

All three above are internal self-help methods, which are very necessary for the long term. However, there will also be times where you find you just can't make it work yourself.

There's no shame in asking for help. In my own experience, external help has helped me out super quickly, and afterwards that's where internal self-confidence building kicks in.

The most important thing is: don't resist external help. It can be as normal as talking to friends and family for support, some spiritual assistance like tarot and fortune telling (depending on whether you believe in it or not), talking therapy in an informal way, or seeing doctors in a more formal and structured way. Don't resist it! It's so common in today's high-pressure environment - in any given week, 1 in 5 people report experiencing a common mental health problem (like anxiety and depression) in England, reported by Mind.