Sometimes, life in the moment feels hopeless. Seizing the day seems impossible, and the present is surely NOT a gift.

So what if you take a step back, give yourself a little time, and see how some perspective can change everything? You might see that all is not lost! 

Whatever’s going wrong, things may change if you wait it out. After an hour, a day, or a week, you’re sure to feel differently about your situation. So we argue that you owe your future self some time and the more accurate perspective that comes with it.

Why do I feel this way?

Whether it’s a bad test score, an injury, missing an ex, or even feeling suicidal, negative events can bury us in hopelessness. It’s so easy to feel that all is lost.

When something bad happens, we tend to focus on the negative, probing our own faults under a microscope. It’s easy to believe we’ll always be sad, because it’s hard to look past the intense emotions of the moment.

But all is not lost! 

The role of perspective: everything’s not lost

Much of our lives are based on how we view setbacks. Your emotions right now are completely valid. But you may not feel the same way tomorrow.

It may be hard to see, but what you think or feel today can change over a day, month, or year. 

Our emotions shift constantly, as they’re influenced by new events. You may cry over an ex, but then a friend asks if you want to go out and get pizza. Things change when you see a cute server and feel inspired that there are plenty more fish in the sea.

You could feel overwhelming anxiety before a presentation, like you’re having a heart attack. But then you feel relief the moment you’re done. And then pride and elation when people compliment you the next day! 

The bottom line is that we often change our minds as new information comes in.

So how do I change my perspective?

Despite knowing all of this, you may still feel overwhelmed by your emotions. You may feel yourself sinking back into despair. How do you shift out of this momentary dejection and convince yourself that all is not lost?

One way you can do this is to think about an earlier time something bad happened to you. Try rating how awful you felt on a scale 1-10. Then rate how you feel about it now. Probably not as bad?

You didn’t forget the incident, you gained perspective.

Another way to shift your perspective is to share with positive people in your life. If you’re not able to see the silver lining, a close friend might! Peers have the power to make you feel heard while also lifting your mood through validation.

Ultimately, if you do nothing else, just give yourself some time. Like a few days have helped you cool down in the past, you really might feel better able to handle your situation tomorrow. You may even feel proud of how you weathered your strong emotions, coming out OK on the other side.

If you need a little inspiration to get through, here are some quotes on perseverance:

“Pain is temporary, quitting lasts forever.” Lance Armstrong

“Don’t think of it as failure. Think of it as time-released success.” Robert Orben

“Failure is so important. We speak about success all the time. It is the ability to resist failure or use failure that often leads to greater success. I’ve met people who don’t want to try for fear of failing.” J.K. Rowling

If you’re currently having a rough patch, you can always turn to Supportiv! Reaching out to peers can help you weather the storm, and help you enjoy the rainbow when it comes.

To get supported, just hit “Chat Now” and type a little about whats on your mind. We hope letting it out will help you feel a little lighter.