How do I get my energy and ambition back?

[jennifer_bloom]

I am emotionally drained and don't want to do anything right now. I don't even want to count my money or read a book.

[Anonymous]

I hit rock bottom with a bad addiction a year ago. Then I had a moment of clarity and got help and have stayed clean.

But I had a long way to go (and still a long way to go with recovery). My confidence and self esteem was completely decimated.

Anyway I found that starting with small tasks and hobbies that I ever liked and/or knew I was good at it helped me. For example I always like to exercise so I joined a local CrossFit gym. I found that after I successfully completed a workout I had sense of accomplishment. When you successfully complete a task it literally closes a mental loop in your brain and releases a small amount of feel good reward brain chemicals.

Anyway I’m now working very hard work, I got back involved with jiu jitsu (a was really into this years ago), I did a low budget trip to Hawaii and I’ve reconnected with some old friends. I've also done better a work. I’m also taking nightly Spanish lessons on Duolingo. I’ve done over 200+ nights in a row.

I still have a very long way to go and I’m stressed af. But I learned a life lesson that stressed (for productive reasons) is better than depressed.

But start small but work up to something.

[Effably]

Sometimes you just need a few personal days. Personal days off to recharge are mandated bt law here and you're allowed to take them with pay. They help.

If its more of a long-term, possibly depression, sort of deal and you want an actual solution likely to work? Exercise. Specifically longer lasting exercise. It helps build up your pool of energy and enables you to actually do things in life again. People always seem to forget that when considering people who have nothing left to give. Their pool has become very small and a minor action takes a proportionally huge slice of it. Exercise helps that get back to normalcy. You do have to force yourself to do it though. Repeatedly.

I see it as a virtous cycle. Once you have more energy you do more things. Yield more results and get more experiences. That ignites a higher passion for life and fuels you to have more drive and ambition. Step one is walking, jogging, swimming, whatever is accessible to you. Every day.

[Rei13]

I’ve hit rock bottom a couple of times emotionally and it better equipped me for future situations that would’ve crippled me when I was younger. I think it is just important to take it one day at a time. If you can’t get out of bed that is okay. If you’re able to sleep do that. Sometimes you just need to live in that feeling for a few days to a week and get it through your system but then you need to start forcing yourself to do things. It can be making yourself shower, or cooking that meal and eating it, or reading a couple pages and then putting the book down. Force yourself to go on a walk even if you don’t want to. Eventually you do get your drive back and it makes you stronger for it. Exercise is honestly the best thing you can do. I forced myself to go to the gym when I hit that point and while it was difficult to get myself there, once I did get there I was better for it and it helped me get out of that funk.

[Nikki1989]

Motivation + determination = success.

[OfMiceandMen]

Whenever I feel that way, I recenter myself in the forest. Nature has a way of cleansing your mind and lowering your stress. Sure, it sounds simple, but simple is what you need when you feel like your in that pressure bubble.

I find the city and all the people tend to complicate things leading to an unbalanced lifestyle. Natural tends to be a balanced regime, ergo immersing yourself in it tends to bring balance.

[RealMarek]

Little steps. Go out for a little walk. Take a bath. Take care of yourself, sleep well, and bit by bit do a little more.

[red324]

well you have to figure out what caused this to begin with. There's always a reason why we're down. sometimes, the solution isn't as simple as the answer though.

[Shamalien]

Sometimes going on a walk or a run is the best thing. Moving the body helps move the mind and spirit too

[shades777]

go for a walk, hear some birds tweet, being coupes up can do that too you

[AnusNdaPainus]

I started playing chess again it keeps me sharp (snap) on my toes (snap) where I need to be.

Try something that stimulates your brain something very challenging that you can’t solve right away

[art84]

Take time for yourself like a vacation to relax, everyone needs time to recharge when they feel like they been drained from whatever in life.

[Legendarylegacy13]

Interesting how you bring that up. Because, how did you get rich?

[Dreamclouds]

I would say go in nature for a while, watch the beauty of life, I would also hug you and encourage you

[Keishio]

To some degree you have to force yourself into routine until it becomes habit

[Dinosaursandanime65]

Have the “We lift weights for Christ” kind of mindset.

[Tonitos]

You can't get them back, they are gone in the vaccine you took.