When You’re Feeling Adrift, Reach Out – You Don’t Have to Go It Alone

Life can throw us some real curveballs sometimes. You might feel like everything is going well, and then bam! Suddenly you’re dealing with a breakup, a job loss, the illness of a loved one, or any number of stressful situations. It’s enough to leave anyone feeling lost, frustrated, and wondering how to get back on track. Reach out…

When you’re faced with difficult circumstances, it’s normal to experience a range of emotions like sadness, anger, confusion, and even grief. But it’s important to remember that you don’t have to navigate these choppy waters alone. 

In 2019, the author of an article in The Sydney Morning Herald acknowledged that we know we’re supposed to reach out when we need support, but asked the important question – how?

One way is by talking with a counsellor, even if it is only a single session. Reaching out for support can help you work through the tangle of emotions, reconnect with your inner strength, and build a team to help you move forward.

Unraveling Tangled Emotions

Big life changes and challenges can stir up some intense emotions. You might bounce from anger to despair to apathy all in the span of a day. It’s easy to feel frustrated when you can’t seem to pin down exactly what you’re feeling and why.

Talking to someone you trust – whether it’s a friend, family member, therapist, or support group – can help you unravel those tangled emotions. Verbalizing your thoughts and feelings can help you identify what’s really going on beneath the surface.

With guidance and support, you can start to understand the complex emotions you’re experiencing and where they’re coming from. Are you grieving the end of a relationship or the loss of your job? Are you feeling insecure and rudderless after a major transition? Sharing your story aloud helps bring clarity to the situation.

From there, you can begin finding constructive ways to process the emotions, move through them, and take steps forward. While the emotions may linger for awhile, you’ll feel less weighed down by them when you can name them and understand their roots.

Reconnecting With Your Inner Spark

When life has you seeing grey everywhere, it’s hard to remember the colors. The vibrancy you used to see in the world can fade, along with your motivation and sense of self.

When everything feels gloomy, talking to someone supportive helps you reconnect with your inner spark – the parts of you that are resilient, caring, driven, and full of potential.

A good listener can remind you of your talents and strengths, even those you’ve forgotten about. They can reassure you that you have so much good to offer, even if you’ve temporarily lost sight of it. With someone cheering you on, you just might find that you’re capable of more than you realized.

Sometimes all it takes is a fresh perspective from someone who believes in you to reignite a forgotten passion. Their encouragement might inspire you to pick up a long-abandoned hobby again or pursue that idea you’ve been sitting on.

When you open up about the things weighting you down, you create space for the good stuff to breathe again. Bit by bit, you’ll rediscover your inner light.

Building Your Support Team

You don’t have to be a lone ranger navigating the stormy seas of life. Letting people into your world and allowing them to support you will make the passage much smoother. The connections you build will help see you through life’s roughest patches.

Look for supportive friends, family members, co-workers, and professionals you can turn to when times get tough. Having a solid support system gives you people to lean on when you need advice, reassurance, or just a listening ear.

You might even look into support groups that can connect you with others facing similar challenges. For example, grief support groups can provide community to those reeling from loss. Groups focused on specific illnesses can offer first-hand guidance from those who’ve been there.

Knowing you have people in your corner is like assembling a sturdy raft before you head into choppy waters. With trusted companions helping propel you forward, you’re much less likely to feel alone or overwhelmed when challenges arise.

Of course, connecting requires vulnerability, which can be scary. But taking that leap of faith to open up builds bonds that will see you through life’s difficulties. Rather than isolating yourself, give others the chance to stand by your side.