How to cope with loss of job

Job Loss and Unemployment Stress

stress

While the stress of losing a job can seem overwhelming, there are many things you can do to take control of the situation, maintain your spirits, and find a renewed sense of purpose.

The stress of losing a job

Whether you’ve been laid off, downsized, forced to take early retirement, or seen contract work dry up, losing your employment is one of life’s most stressful experiences. Aside from the obvious financial anguish it can cause, the stress of losing a job can also take a heavy toll on your mood, relationships, and overall mental and emotional health.

Our jobs are often more than just the way we make a living. They influence how we see ourselves, as well as the way others see us. Even if you didn’t love your job, it likely provided you a social outlet and gave a structure, purpose, and meaning to your life. Suddenly finding yourself out of work can leave you feeling hurt, angry, or depressed. You might be questioning your identity, grieving all that you’ve lost, or feeling anxious about what the future holds.

Depending on the circumstances of your unemployment, you may feel betrayed by your employer, powerless over the direction of your life, or blame yourself for some perceived shortcoming or mistake. The stress and worry can feel overwhelming. But no matter how bleak things seem right now, there is hope. With time and the right coping techniques, you can come to terms with these setbacks, ease your stress and anxiety, and move on with your working life.

If you’ve lost your job due to the coronavirus outbreak…

Many people around the world have lost their jobs or sources of income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the widespread, unprecedented nature of the crisis means that you shouldn’t feel any blame for your situation, that may be of little comfort when you’re stressed about paying bills and putting food on the table.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by uncertainty about how the economy will recover or when you’ll be able to find work. It’s important to know that you’re not alone; many of us are facing the same insecurities at this time. In addition to the following tips for coping with the stress of losing a job, there are also steps you can take to better deal with uncontrollable circumstances and an uncertain future.

Coping with job loss stress tip 1: Allow yourself to grieve

Grief is a natural response to loss, and that includes the loss of a job. As well as the loss of income, being out of work also comes with other major losses, some of which may be just as difficult to face:

A feeling of control over your life.
Your professional identity.
Your self-esteem and self-confidence.
A daily routine.
Purposeful activity.
Friendships and a work-based social network.
You and your family’s sense of security.

Facing your feelings

While everyone grieves differently, there are healthy and unhealthy ways to mourn the loss of your job. It can be easy to turn to habits such as drinking too much or bingeing on junk food for comfort. But these will only provide fleeting relief and in the long-term will make you feel even worse. Acknowledging your feelings and challenging your negative thoughts, on the other hand, will help you deal with the loss and move on.

Give yourself time to adjust. Grieving the loss of your job and adjusting to unemployment can take time. Go easy on yourself and don’t attempt to bottle up your feelings. If you allow yourself to feel what you feel, even the most unpleasant, negative feelings will pass.
Write about your feelings. Express everything you feel about being laid off or unemployed, including things you wish you had (or hadn’t) said to your former boss. This is especially cathartic if your termination was handled in an insensitive way.
Accept reality. While it’s important to acknowledge how difficult job loss and unemployment can be, it’s equally important to avoid wallowing. Rather than dwelling on your job loss—the unfairness, how poorly it was handled, the ways you could have prevented it, or how much better life would be if it hadn’t happened—try to accept the situation. The sooner you do so, the sooner you can get on with the next phase in your life.
Avoid beating yourself up. It’s easy to start criticizing or blaming yourself when you’re unemployed. But it’s important to avoid putting yourself down. You’ll need your self-confidence to remain intact as you’re looking for a new job. Challenge every negative thought that goes through your head. If you start to think, “I’m a loser,” write down evidence to the contrary: “I lost my job because of the lockdown, not because I was bad at my job.”
Think of your job loss as a temporary setback. Most successful people have experienced major setbacks in their careers but have turned things around by picking themselves up, learning from the experience, and trying again. You can do the same.
Look for any silver lining. The feelings generated by losing a job are easier to accept if you can find the lesson in your loss. That can be very difficult at such a low point in your life, but ask yourself if there’s anything you can learn from this experience. Maybe your unemployment has given you a chance to reflect on what you want out of life and rethink your career priorities. Perhaps it’s made you stronger. If you look, you may be able to find something of value.

Tip 2: Reach out to stay strong

Your natural reaction at this difficult time may be to withdraw from friends and family out of shame or embarrassment. But don’t underestimate the importance of other people when you’re faced with the stress of job loss and unemployment. Social contact is nature’s antidote to stress. Nothing works better at calming your nervous system than talking face to face with a good listener.

The person you talk to doesn’t have to be able to offer solutions; they just have to be a good listener, someone who’ll listen attentively without becoming distracted or passing judgement.
As well as making a huge difference in how you feel, reaching out to others can help you feel more in control of your situation, and you never know what opportunities will arise.
You may want to resist asking for support out of pride but opening up won’t make you a burden to others. In fact, most people will be flattered that you trust them enough to confide in them, and it will only strengthen your relationship.

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Developing new relationships after your job loss

When we lose our jobs, many of us also lose the friendships and social networks that were built in the workplace. But it’s never too late to expand your social network outside of work. It can be crucial in both helping you cope with the stress of job loss—as well as finding a new job.

Build new friendships. Meet new people with common interests by taking a class or joining a group such as a book club, dinner club, or sports team.

Join a job club. Other job seekers can be invaluable sources of encouragement, support, and job leads. Being around others facing similar challenges can help energize and motivate you during your job search.

Network for new employment. The vast majority of job openings are never advertised; they’re filled by networking. Networking may sound intimidating or difficult, especially when it comes to finding a job, but it doesn’t have to be, even if you’re an introvert or you feel like you don’t know many people.

[Read: Job Networking Tips]

Get involved in your community. Try attending a local event, mentoring youngsters, supporting your church or temple, or becoming politically active.

Tip 3: Involve your family for support

Unemployment affects the whole family, so don’t try to shoulder your problems alone. Keeping your job loss a secret will only make the situation worse. Your family’s support can help you survive and thrive, even during this difficult time.

Open up to your family. Whether it’s to ease the stress or cope with the grief of job loss, now is the time to lean on the people who care about you, even if you take pride in being strong and self-sufficient. Keep them in the loop about your job search and tell them how they can support you.

Listen to their concerns. Your family members are worried about you, as well as their own stability and future. Give them a chance to talk about their concerns and offer suggestions regarding your employment search.

Make time for family fun. Set aside regular family fun time where you can enjoy each other's company, let off steam, and forget about your unemployment troubles. This will help the whole family stay positive.

Helping children cope with a parent's job loss

Children can be deeply affected by a parent's unemployment. It is important for them to know what has happened and how it will affect the family. However, try not to overburden them with too many emotional or financial details.

Keep an open dialogue with your children. Children have a way of imagining the worst when they write their own “scripts,” so the truth can actually be far less devastating than what they envision.

Make sure your children know it's not anybody's fault. Children may not understand about job loss and immediately think that you did something wrong to cause it. Or, they may feel that somehow they are responsible or financially burdensome. They need reassurance in these matters, regardless of their age.

Children need to feel as if they are helping. They want to help and allowing them to contribute in ways such as taking a cut in allowance, deferring expensive purchases, or getting an after-school job can make them feel as if they are part of the team.

Tip 4: Find other ways to define yourself

For many of us, our work shapes our identities and defines who we are. After all, when you meet someone new, one of the first questions they ask is, “What do you do?” When we lose our jobs, we feel a loss of self. But it’s important to remember that being unemployed doesn’t have to define who you are as a person. It’s up to you define yourself, not the state of the economy or a company’s decision to lay you off.

Pursue activities that bring purpose and joy to your life. By pursuing meaningful hobbies, activities, and relationships, you can reaffirm that it’s these things define you as an individual, not your employment status. We all have different ways of experiencing meaning and joy, so choose something that’s important to you.

Try a new hobby that enriches your spirit or pick up a long-neglected hobby. If you’ve neglected outside activities in favor of work, now is the time to take a class, join a club, or learn something such as a foreign language or new work-related skill. At a time when money may be tight, look for events and activities that are inexpensive to attend.

Express yourself creatively. Write your memoirs, start a blog, take up painting or photography.

Spend time in nature. Work in your yard, take a scenic hike, exercise a dog, or go fishing or camping. Spending time in nature is also a great stress reliever.

Volunteer. Helping others or supporting a cause that’s important to you is an excellent way to maintain a sense of meaning and purpose in your life. Volunteering can also provide career experience, social support, and networking opportunities.

Tip 5: Get moving to relieve stress

If work commitments prevented you from exercising regularly before, it’s important to make the time now. Exercise is a powerful antidote to stress. As well as relaxing tense muscles and relieving tension in the body, exercise releases powerful endorphins to improve your mood. Trimming your waistline and improving your physique may also give your self-confidence a boost.

Aim to exercise for 30 minutes or more per day, or break that up into short, 10-minute bursts of activity. A 10-minute walk can raise your spirits for two hours.
Rhythmic exercise, where you move both your arms and legs, is a hugely effective way to lift your mood, increase energy, sharpen focus, and relax both the mind and body. Try walking, running, weight training, swimming, martial arts, or even dancing.
To maximize stress relief, instead of continuing to focus on your thoughts, focus on your body and how it feels as you move: the sensation of your feet hitting the ground, for example, or the wind on your skin.

Tip 6: Eat well to keep your focus

Your diet may seem like the last thing you should concern yourself with when you’re facing the stress of losing your job and trying to make ends meet. But what you put in your body can have a huge effect on your levels of energy and positivity.

Minimize sugar and refined carbs. You may crave sugary snacks or comfort foods such as pasta, white bread, potatoes, or French fries, but these high-carbohydrate foods quickly lead to a crash in mood and energy.

Reduce your intake of foods that can adversely affect your mood, such as caffeine and chemical preservatives or hormones.

Eat more Omega-3 fatty acids to give your mood a boost. The best sources are fatty fish (salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines), seaweed, flaxseed, and walnuts.

Avoid nicotine. Smoking when you're feeling stressed may seem calming, but nicotine is a powerful stimulant, leading to higher, not lower, levels of stress and anxiety.

Drink alcohol in moderation. Alcohol may temporarily reduce worry, but too much can cause even greater anxiety as it wears off.

Tip 7: Take care of yourself

The stress of job loss and unemployment can take a toll on your well-being and leave you more vulnerable to mental health problems. Now more than ever, it’s important to take care of yourself.

Maintain balance in your life. Don’t let your job search consume you. Make time for fun, rest, and relaxation, whatever revitalizes you. Your job search will be more effective if you are mentally, emotionally, and physically at your best.

Get plenty of sleep. Sleep has a huge influence on your mood and productivity. Make sure you’re getting between 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. It will help you keep your stress levels under control and maintain your focus throughout your job search.

Practice relaxation techniques. Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, and yoga are a powerful antidote to stress. They also boost your feelings of serenity and joy and teach you how to stay calm and collected in challenging situations, including job interviews.

Tip 8: Stay positive to keep up your energy

If it’s taking you longer than anticipated to find work, the following tips can help you stay focused and upbeat.

Keep a regular daily routine. When you no longer have a job to report to every day, you can easily lose motivation. Treat your job search like a job, with a daily “start” and “end” time, with regular times for exercise and networking. Following a set schedule will help you be more efficient and productive.

Create a job search plan. Avoid getting overwhelmed by breaking big goals into small, manageable steps. Instead of trying to do everything at once, set priorities. If you’re not having luck in your job search, take some time to rethink your goals.

[Read: Finding the Right Career]

List your positives. Make a list of all the things you like about yourself, including skills, personality traits, accomplishments, and successes. Write down projects you’re proud of, situations where you excelled, and skills you've developed. Revisit this list often to remind yourself of your strengths.

Focus on what you can control. You can’t control how quickly a potential employer calls you back or whether or not they decide to hire you. Rather than wasting your precious energy worrying about situations that are out of your hands, turn your attention to what you can control during your unemployment, such as learning new skills, writing a great cover letter and resume, and setting up meetings with your networking contacts.

Help yourself to stay on task. If you're having trouble following through with these self-help tips to cope with job loss and unemployment stress, HelpGuide's free Emotional Intelligence Toolkit can help. By learning to manage troublesome thoughts, stress, and difficult emotions you'll find it easier to follow through on positive intentions and regain control of your job search.

Authors: Melinda Smith, M.A., Jeanne Segal, Ph.D., and Lawrence Robinson

References
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Linn, M W, R Sandifer, and S Stein. “Effects of Unemployment on Mental and Physical Health.” American Journal of Public Health 75, no. 5 (May 1985): 502–6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1646287/
Navarro-Abal, Yolanda, José Antonio Climent-Rodríguez, María José López-López, and Juan Gómez-Salgado. “Psychological Coping with Job Loss. Empirical Study to Contribute to the Development of Unemployed People.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 15, no. 8 (August 2018): 1787. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph25081787
Rafi, Md. Abdur, Mohammed A. Mamun, Kamrul Hsan, Moazzem Hossain, and David Gozal. “Psychological Implications of Unemployment Among Bangladesh Civil Service Job Seekers: A Pilot Study.” Frontiers in Psychiatry 10 (2019): 578. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00578
Posel, Dorrit, Adeola Oyenubi, and Umakrishnan Kollamparambil. “Job Loss and Mental Health during the COVID-19 Lockdown: Evidence from South Africa.” PLOS ONE 16, no. 3 (March 30, 2021): e0249352. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0249352
Farré, Lídia, Francesco Fasani, and Hannes Mueller. “Feeling Useless: The Effect of Unemployment on Mental Health in the Great Recession.” IZA Journal of Labor Economics 7, no. 1 (September 27, 2018): 8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40172-018-0068-5
Toussaint, Loren, Quang Anh Nguyen, Claire Roettger, Kiara Dixon, Martin Offenbächer, Niko Kohls, Jameson Hirsch, and Fuschia Sirois. “Effectiveness of Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Deep Breathing, and Guided Imagery in Promoting Psychological and Physiological States of Relaxation.” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2021 (July 3, 2021): e5924040. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/5924040
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How to Handle the Emotional Side of Job Loss and Job Search with Resiliency – Deal with the emotional challenge of job loss and searching for new employment. (Resiliency Center)

Managing Job Loss and Financial Stress (PDF) – Helping yourself and your family cope with stress and financial worries following job loss. (University of Hawaii)

Last updated: December 5, 2022

7 ways to mentally bounce back after losing your job

But the grief, it hit in waves when I least expected it, like when a friend took a great new job. Or when I received my first unemployment check. I was in mourning; not over a traditional relationship, but over the loss of my job. Experts believe feelings of grief after a job loss are completely valid, for a variety of reasons. For many of us, losing a job doesn’t only represent a loss of income, but also a core part of our identities. In a 1998 study, Richard H. Price, professor of psychology at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research, examined just how profound an effect the loss of a job can have on one’s mental health. “Some people have jobs, some people have careers, and some people have callings,” he says. “When they lose that, they lose a lot.” Unsurprisingly, that feeling may be magnified for those who invest a lot in their jobs, whether that be through time, education, or energy.

In short, we tend to invest so much in our work that it can shape our identities in ways we may not even realize. And the simple act of losing your routine—morning coffee before heading to work, chatting with coworkers, working lunches, and even meetings—can create a void. “Most people don’t realize how important routine can be in our lives,” says Tina B. Tessina, Ph.D., psychotherapist and author of “How to be Happy Partners: Working it out Together”. “The enormity of this loss can be a total surprise, and therefore even more upsetting.” As a media professional, I’ve often considered this as the industry is regularly in flux. As in many other industries, a traditional work day may not describe the 9-to-5 of generations past. A typical day may involve waking up to scroll social media and scan emails that could affect the upcoming work day. Add to that the fact that more employees are nearly always accessible—using laptops to work anywhere, emailing anytime from smartphones—and it’s no wonder that a sense of loss can be so profound. The effects can be even worse for those who are already predisposed to feelings of depression and anxiety, Price says. In addition to the loss of the job, feelings of rejection and hopelessness can creep in as job seekers look for additional employment. The loss of income can mean the potential loss of a house, car, insurance, and other expenses. Even in a home where a spouse or partner provides income, families may be living on less, which may also cause discord. These types of stress can begin to feel overwhelming. “If it’s too strong, anxiety and depression can paralyze you,” Price says.

Another source of anxiety is what Price and his colleagues call the double burden of unemployment. “In job search, it is not only finding a job and applying, it is also dealing with what may in many cases be multiple rejections before you have even the possibility of a new job,” he says. For many, looking for work can span over six or more months; it’s important to acknowledge that there may also be many rejections before landing a new job. It can be beneficial to practice resilience to avoid feelings of depression or a cycle of anxiety that could make it even more difficult to find a new job. With a concrete plan and a few coping techniques, you can take care of your mental health even after a devastating job loss. Here’s how:

1. Allow yourself time to grieve, but try not to dwell.

“Losing a job, especially involuntarily, is a big loss that needs to be grieved,” Tessina says. It’s perfectly normal to grieve, but the longer you wait to begin to make a plan, the more difficult it may be to get back into the workforce.

2. Establish (and stick to) a routine.

It’s OK to use this as a chance to take a vacation, but treat it as such. Schedule “vacation” time just as you would with an employer, and once your vacation is over return to a routine. A routine could include making a morning beverage, taking a scheduled lunch break, and perhaps leaving the house to job search during normal work hours. “You have a job already. Your job is searching for a job, and you need to start planning on how to get a job,” says Price.

3. Explore new opportunities.

Are you keen to learn a new skill, language, or go back to school? What about starting your own business or changing career fields? If finances allow, this may be a good time to focus energy on developing passions.

4. Assess your marketable skills.

Price found that many people have done a job for so long that they can’t easily list their marketable skills. Create a list of each of your skills, from the ability to analyze difficult situations to being a people person, and consider how you can incorporate them into your next job.

5. Try to avoid internalizing rejection.

During the job hunt, it can be easy to feel personally rejected by unanswered job applications and interviews that leave you without an offer. Instead, try to reframe it as an opportunity for another outcome. As Tessina says, “Remember that you are searching for a situation that’s good for you, not just a job.”

6. Ask for help.

Positive encouragement and patience can be critical for someone who has lost a job. A person who is still grieving may seem lazy or disinterested, but loved ones should remember that may also be a sign of depression. Having a conversation about shifting household tasks and family roles may also be helpful.

7. Seek out professional help.

For those with a history of depression, you may need additional support. If you find that you’ve become apathetic or hopeless, reach out to a counselor or primary care physician.

Job loss: psychological aspects and advice

Published: August 12, 2021, 16:40

Coping with Job Loss: Pexels

You are fired. Almost everyone is afraid to hear this phrase. Losing a job gives rise to a lot of problems, leads to a personality crisis. Media psychologist Mikhail Labkovsky will tell you how to deal with it and how to survive the loss of a job.

Psychological consequences of losing a job

Losing a job is a huge stress for a person. Dismissal, especially unexpected, leads to difficult experiences, a personality crisis. Those who have lost their jobs experience fear of the future, irritation, and apathy. In terms of intensity of passions and emotions, dismissal is second only to divorce or the death of a loved one.

What are the psychological consequences of losing a job? This event often provokes:

a drop in self-esteem;
increased feelings of loneliness;
the appearance of obsessive negative thoughts about future financial difficulties and social problems;
loss of life orientation and deep psychological problems.

Coping with job loss: Pexels

How does a person react to job loss? Most people go into a stupor or panic. According to psychologist Tatyana Yuryeva, in the future, their condition goes through several stages of development:

Uncertainty and shock. After an unpleasant event, a person experiences fear. Being in this state, he is subject to accidents, neurosis, depression and other diseases.
Relief, adaptation to the situation. Having survived the first shock, a person is relieved and rejoices at the free time that has appeared. He is trying to do everything that he did not have time to do before, he starts an active job search.
Aggravation of the condition. Usually this stage occurs after 6 months of searching for a new place. Under the influence of prolonged stress, a person stops taking active steps and going to interviews. He completely forgets about his goals, interests, needs. During this period, the dismissed person may show destructive changes in behavior and fluctuations associated with the hope of finding a job. In addition, according to psychologist Ilona Prokopets, a person's status self-esteem decreases.
Helplessness, resignation to the current situation. After vain attempts to settle in a new place, a person loses hope and remains in apathy. Gradually gets used to inactivity and does not try to change the situation.

Many people tend to dwell on a problem even if they are not experiencing financial difficulties. They exaggerate the danger of their position. After several months of looking for a new place, people stop seeing the loss of a job as a temporary vacation and become depressed. It is not always possible to cope with this condition on your own.

How to survive the loss of a job: Pexels

How to survive the loss of a job

Having lost a job, a person finds himself in a specific situation: on the one hand, he loses his source of income, on the other hand, he gets free time. At the same time, most of the dismissed cannot fully relax and rest. They feel anxiety and worry about the emptiness that has formed in life.

According to well-known psychologist Mikhail Labkovsky, the most important thing when leaving a job is to stop being afraid. The fear of losing a place prevents a person from seeing the opening prospects and changing his life for the better.

How to cope with fear and how to survive dismissal? To do this:

Accept the situation and be open to your feelings. Sadness, bad mood, and the fear of losing a job are normal emotions. Do not be afraid to tell your loved ones or a psychologist about them.
Do not lose faith in yourself and get rid of shame. The fact of being fired does not make you unique. In today's world, this happens to most people.
Take care of yourself. Spend your free time with benefit: pay attention to your family, relax, take care of your health. Find ways to recharge with positive emotions, such as organizing a family picnic outdoors.

Job loss: psychological aspects and advice: Pexels

Think of a plan. The search for a new job is often delayed. Don't spend hours and hours searching for job openings and sending resumes. Make a plan for the day. Set aside time for routine - cleaning, cooking, exercising.
Understand yourself. Assess your strengths, interests, life orientations.
Try changing your occupation. Getting fired is a great reason to reconsider your preferences. Even if you liked the job, it is not at all necessary to immediately look for a similar vacancy. Think about upgrading your skills, a new line of work, or starting your own business.

Every person faces the loss of a job throughout their lives. This situation can become an impetus for him in development or lead to depression, loss of interest in life, health problems. To avoid such consequences, seek the help of a psychologist in a timely manner. A specialist will help you understand yourself and come out of the situation as a winner.

Original article: https://www.nur.kz/family/self-realization/1066815-poterya-raboty-psikhologicheskiye-aspekty-i-sovety/

Author: Sofia Petrova

5 TIPS - HOW TO SURVIVE THE LOSS OF YOUR JOB

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5 TIPS - HOW TO SURVIVE THE LOSS OF YOUR JOB

Losing a job in our economically unstable time can lead not only to emotional distress, but even to severe stress and depression. Psychologists argue that being fired or laid off has a negative impact on a person’s psychological state: “It is not surprising if, after losing a job, a person feels empty, lost, and even betrayed.”

AND IT WILL GO
Do not rush to panic and assume that the end of the world has come. After all, no matter how hurt and hurt you feel, it won't last forever. Think about it: before you found this job, you were a completely happy person, which means that your well-being does not depend on a particular place of work. Yes, perhaps now you are overcome by negative emotions, and everything is seen in black, but over time, the pain will pass. No one says that when you are out of work, you need to have fun - the experience is a normal reaction. Just remember to remind yourself that "this too shall pass." Everything will fall into place, you will find another job and calm down.

PROTECT YOURSELF
At such a difficult moment in life, a mass of people can accumulate around you who love to make an elephant out of a fly and tirelessly feel sorry for themselves unfortunate. For such martyrs, you can become a tidbit - after all, your experiences can be cultivated and generously flavored with universal sadness. In a word, if you want to quickly recover, if possible, limit communication with negative whiners. By the way, this also includes extremely sad films and books. But isolate yourself, too, to anything! Go for walks with friends, go to the movies, or do something you love that will keep you distracted.

GRIP
When thoughts are swarming like a swarm of bees, the ground is slipping from under your feet and it seems that nothing is sticking, it's time to take care of yourself. Yes, yes, you will always have time to fall into depression, but it’s just the right time to go in for sports. In order to overcome the psychological crisis, take up morning jogging or evening walks - whatever you like best. It's no secret that physical activity promotes the production of hormones of happiness and allows you to quickly cope with the effects of stress.

SPOUT THE NEGATIVE
Psychologists in unison argue that it is not worth keeping negative emotions in yourself. We have already discussed the fact that joining a "destinyless" support group is not the best option, so what to do? Very simple - keep a diary. And not some online, but an ordinary paper notebook, where in the evenings you can write down your thoughts, experiences, feelings, plans - in a word, everything that comes to mind. Recommendation from psychologists: every day, write down three things for which you should be grateful in this life. This will help you focus not on your failures, but on what you are really lucky in.

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