Sadly, at some point in everyone’ life, the time comes when it is vital to take stock of the friends, activities, and hobbies that are allowed to influence one’s mental health.
A high-paying job may sound wonderful on the surface, but after a few weeks of working for the company, it becomes apparent that your mood, energy level, and motivational level for doing things outside of work has fallen.
What do you do? Do you quit your job?
A chance to turn a beloved hobby into a dream job is tempting and glorious. However, after being forced to bend to traditional rules and regulations based on the hobby, all previously-gained joy flees whenever the brush, pen, tool, or book are picked up.
Is it time to find a new hobby?
A cherished friend begins to turn sour in your mind the more time the two of you spend together, leaving you annoyed every time they enter the room or their name is brought up in conversation.
Should the friend be let go?
With all the debate concerning mental health these days, it may be everyone’s first reaction to the three scenarios listed above to drop the job, hobby, or friend. However, simply forcing a distance between you and a job, hobby, or friend you once enjoyed is not always the best option.
Now, there are always exceptions in every case, but listed below are three things to do before walking away:
1. Take a moment to breathe.
The mistake a lot of people make is choosing hastily to leave a job or a friend because they fear they will lose their courage to do so if they wait.
Taking a quick moment to breathe and let yourself think through all of your options can help you avoid making hasty decisions that you might regret later.
2. Ask close friends or family members for advice.
One of the most difficult things to do when you need help is to admit that a problem or circumstance is beyond your capacity to deal with alone.
This is why you have close friends and family members.
Before making any big, life-changing decisions, talk your situation through with a trusted friend or family member. Also, be sure to actually pay attention and consider their advice before acting.
3. Know that this is not the end.
When trouble pops up in life, it can be easy to think that the walls are closing in too tightly for you to ever escape again.
This feeling, however, is a lie.
Instead of feeling overwhelmed by your current situation in life, think back to all of the challenging situations you have previously survived.
Odds are, you’ll survive this, too.
Mental health is important, and you will sometimes have no choice but to cut a job, a hobby, or a friend out of your life in order to keep you from being overwhelmed.
Just remember that taking a break is always an option: stopping does not mean quitting