The way I was feeling a couple of weeks ago made it hard for me to write. I was staring at a blank page, trying to think about what my next blog post should be about, but I found it hard to concentrate. It wasn’t like I did not have anything to write about.
I made a whole content calendar so that I would always have fresh content for my website. But I had no desire to write about any of the topics that I had listed. All I could think about was that I hit rock bottom…again!
I had sunk deep into a financial hole and yet again, I was going to have to fight to get out of it. This financial hole that I’m talking about is the unexpected expenses that spring up on you when you least expect them.
For example, your breaks down, the roof starts to leak, or in my case, a family member has suddenly become ill and the treatment she needs is going to cost my family thousands of pounds!
All of the money I had put away in savings was about to fly out the window. But it was totally worth it. I kept thinking that if I was sick and needed expensive treatment, I would want my family to help me. I’m glad that I was able to help with all the expenses, but at the same time, I couldn’t help feeling a bit depressed that I was going back into debt when I was on the verge of getting out of debt.
I thought about how I had hit rock bottom again and was wondering how I was going to get myself out of it.
Hitting rock bottom can mean different things to different people. For some, hitting rock bottom may mean job loss, financial setback, or divorce. For others, it may mean drug addiction, deterioration of health, or depression.
The term “hitting rock bottom” means that you have reached your lowest point in life where things cannot get any worse. So whatever hitting rock bottom means to you, there is a way to climb out of the rut you’re in.
Here are 7 things I did when I hit rock bottom and you can also follow these steps if you’re in a similar situation:
- Pray
- Get your house in order.
- Take a deep look at your finances.
- Re-evaluate your goals.
- Ask for help.
- Have a positive attitude.
- Never give up.
Now let’s examine these steps further.
1. Pray.
When life gets too hard for me to handle, I ask God for help. When I hit rock bottom, I prayed about my situation and I asked God to be with me and to help me through this rough patch in my life. I asked for wisdom and guidance so that I could find a way to get out of the financial pit that I fell into.
Praying made me feel more at peace. Also reading the Bible about God’s promise to always be with his people who believed in Him was also a great comfort. When you are going through a rough time, remember that you can always pray and ask God for help.
2. Get your house in order.
One of the things that helped me when I hit rock bottom was to do a major clean-up. Because I don’t have a lot of space where I live, it was easy for my place to get cluttered with stuff.
I felt a lot better when I threw out items I no longer needed. I got rid of old bills, books that I’ve read, clothes that no longer fit me or were old and worn, and gadgets that I did not use anymore. I cleaned out the fridge, the oven, and the bathroom. I reorganized my cupboards and my closet. I started to feel better like I had taken another giant leap out of the rut I was in.
3. Take a deep look at your finances.
This is the part I hate the most but is the most important part because it was for this reason that I had hit rock bottom. I added up all of my debts and wrote down all of my recurring expenses. Then I thought about how I could cut down on my expenses so that I could use the money I saved to decrease my debt.
I looked at how much I was earning from my job and thought of ways I could earn more money to pay off my debt. I thought it would be a great idea to do more overtime to increase my income. Selling items I no longer needed was also a great way to earn more money so that I could put it towards my debt.
4. Re-evaluate your goals.
When my circumstances changed, my goals also changed. I took a look at my goals and wondered if I would still be able to achieve my goals even though I was stuck in a bad situation. That was a difficult time for me and I had temporarily steered off course.
There were goals that I had set for myself that I knew I would not be able to accomplish because of the current situation I was in. I had to make adjustments and realized that I had to change some of my goals and make new ones to improve my life.
Looking at where my life was going gave me the opportunity to get my life back on track so that I could focus on the things I wanted to accomplish.
5. Have a positive attitude.
I reminded myself that it was not the first time that I had hit rock bottom. Each time I was at my lowest point I always found a way to pick myself up and move forward. This time was no different. I chose to fight, persevere, and win! I reminded myself that God was with me, God was helping me, and God was guiding me.
I also reminded myself that I could do all things through Christ who strengthens me. My problems may be big, but my God is bigger! And so I think myself happy and started planning the steps I would take to overcome the challenges I faced.
Don’t let negative thoughts take over your mind. If you keep thinking that you will never find a way out of the rut you’re in then your situation may never change. Have a positive mindset. When you hit rock bottom, tell yourself that this is not the end and you will get out of it.
6. Ask for help.
When I hit rock bottom, I did not face this situation alone and you don’t have to either. It was very hard trying to get my life back on course by doing it alone. It was a lot easier to face my problems when I asked my family for help.
When you’re at your lowest point, ask a family member or a friend for help. Talk to someone you trust, like a pastor, teacher, or counselor. That person will encourage you, motivate you, and help you to get back on your feet. You don’t have to stay at rock bottom. You can always find someone to help you get out of it.
7. Never give up.
No matter how difficult my life got, the one thing I never did was give up. And you shouldn’t either. I have faced setbacks and have had to make adjustments in my life, but I always stayed focused on my goals and what I hoped to accomplish.
Because of my current situation, it took a little longer to get what I wanted but I did not give up. I tried to be patient and waited for the right opportunity to come my way. When the opportunity came, I seized it and moved forward.
When you hit rock bottom, you cannot go any lower. The only way to go is up. Don’t allow obstacles to stand in your way. You are in control of your life and the only way to get back on track is to take action.
