Creative and Meaningful Outlets That Gave Me Light in Hard Times
As we all come to realize sooner or later, life is stressful. There’s always something to worry about. There’s always someone or something demanding our attention. Whether it’s kids, coworkers, bosses, parents, siblings, friends, or looming deadlines, it often feels like there’s no end to all the stress. And to pile it all on, life starts throwing us curveballs—unexpected changes, disappointments, or heartbreak—and suddenly everything feels upside down. At times, it’s like we’re just barely keeping our heads above water, moving from one responsibility to the next without a chance to catch our breath.
In those moments, I’ve noticed my outlook tends to get dark and discouraging. And If I’m not careful, I fall into ruts that make it extremely hard to pull myself out of. That’s why having meaningful outlets are so important. And I’m not just talking about hobbies, I’m talking about real practical lifelines that have saved me more times than I can count.
When things feel uncertain or overwhelming, I turn to a few grounding practices.
1. Is reading my Bible and centering myself back to my spirituality. This helps me recenter and find peace in something bigger than myself. This way I can take a step back from my stressors and look at the big picture. For you this might look like mindful meditation, breathing exercising, or anything that helps you to slow down and reduce anxiety.
2. I take care of myself in small but intentional ways by reaching out to loved ones, even just to do something simple like run errands or go shopping together. That human connection makes a difference. People can’t always be there but if we don’t reach out they will never know when we are struggling with something we can’t face alone
3. Music is another go-to. When I put on something upbeat or uplifting, it shifts my mood in ways that words sometimes can’t.
4. Journaling my thoughts or having a heart-to-heart with someone I trust gives me space to reflect and release what I’ve been holding in. These aren’t instant solutions, but they help me feel seen, grounded, and less alone.
The truth is, not all your problems are going to be fixed overnight. Mental health is a journey, and a messy one at that. There will be days you’ll feel on top of the world and others will have you feeling discouraged or stuck, but don’t give up. There’s always something better on the other side of the struggle. Life isn’t meant to be faced alone, and leaning on each other makes all the difference.