Mental Health Basics — Article Index 

Learn 40 Ways to Overcome Discouragement.

Discouragement can weigh heavily on one’s shoulders. Bounce back from discouragement as quickly as possible.

1. Don’t let anger or frustration overwhelm you.
2. Do not try to change other people. Accept them for who they are; only the Holy Spirit can change people.
3. Brainstorm with God to help you move from where you are to where you want to be.
4. Don’t let your pride stop your growth; submit yourself to God.
5. Focus on what needs your attention, and make sure it aligns with God’s will.
6. Keep an encouragement log to remember the past victories God has allowed you to accomplish.
7. On paper, define your values and your beliefs. Include God if He isn’t already.
8. Pray to find someone you could help and encourage, and then help them.
9. Put down what you are doing, and get some fresh air and exercise. Talk to God while you are out there.
10. Readjust your plans and expectations by including God this time.
11. Remind yourself that you are not the center of the world. God is.
12. Step back to look at the big picture. Will this problem matter 100 years from now?
13. When you accomplish something that was holding you back, treat yourself and thank God.
14. Complete a small task to build momentum.
15. Ask God to help you find ways to get more organized.
    

    If you think you have signs of depression, I encourage you to seek medical help to make sure you are okay.

16. Ask someone you know how they overcome discouragement.
17. Be more aware of how you talk to yourself.
18. If you get discouraged, acknowledge it, step back, pray, and then regroup.
19. Track your general progress in life.
20. Make it a point to watch a comedy with a friend.
21. Make sure you are getting proper rest and sleep.
22. Reevaluate your “priorities” if you are getting nowhere. If something is not Biblical, could you cut it out?
23. Start a simple journal and stick with it.
24. Please stick to your vision as long as it still has potential. Ask God for direction.
25. Try something new or different.
26. Complaining only makes things worse. Instead, try focusing on solutions.
27. Allow yourself time to relax or even take a nap. Jesus took a nap on the boat during a storm.
28. Do the people you spend time with help lift you up, or do they drag you down?
29. Change your routine in some way.
30. Eliminate drama from your life. Respond sensibly rather than emotionally.
    

    Do not allow depression or sadness to get the best of you.

31. Engage in positive self-talk and prayer with God.
32. Failure isn’t necessarily bad if we can learn from it.
33. Focus on prayer, and set specific, measurable, time-based goals.
34. Focus on only one thing at a time; temporarily take baby steps if necessary.
35. If something causes constant pain and problems, try to solve it or consider a new path.
36. Compare yourself only with your potential, not other people’s.
37. Pray to God first, but you can speak with a mentor, contact a close friend, or a pastor.
38. Sit down with God in prayer, and create and follow a well-thought-out action plan.
39. Take full responsibility for your attitude; ask God to direct you.
40. Imagine what it will look like when you finally accomplish your goal.

There Are Times In Our Lives That We All Get Discouraged.

You can rebound from discouragement, just as you can from any other overwhelming feeling.

Good can come from being discouraged. It can show us what we need to do differently to reach our goal or learn a lesson. The thing is, we need to know we can rebound from discouragement. We do not need to live in that state of mind. But we also need to know that we wouldn’t appreciate the good times if we didn’t experience the lows.

If you have a specific topic you would like to learn more about, visit GotQuestions.org for more helpful information.