Apathy is an element that wears down the well-being of many people every day. And although happiness does not have to be the norm and the empire of smiles can suffocate by generating unrealistic expectations, apathetic people usually suffer for different reasons. The feeling that there is nothing that motivates us is hard, and leads to psychologically painful emotional stagnation.
In this article we will see some tips on how to stop being apathetic as well as information related to emotion management.
In the next few lines we will see what habits can contribute to leaving apathy behind and starting to live life with a more balanced type of emotional regulation.
1. Set your long-term goals
Many times, apathy appears because what we direct most of our efforts toward has no meaning for us. This is the case, for example, of people who begin a university degree without giving it much thought, simply because of the social pressure that indicates that if you can afford it, it is almost mandatory to train at a faculty.
These types of commitments tie us to long-term goals that we don’t really value, in exchange for sacrificing many things in our daily lives. Therefore, it is necessary to stop and think if there is something that is holding us back, sabotaging our possibilities for improvement. Which brings us to the next step.
To stop being apathetic, profound changes are necessary, which affect more than one facet of one’s life. This type of personal evolution It’s much more like changing jobs than to start incorporating a new ingredient into your diet.
Leaving the comfort zone is uncomfortable, because breaking with old behavioral dynamics that provide stability always is, but on many occasions it is necessary to feel much better, begin to feel interest in the possibility of starting projects, etc.
3. Think about what you like to do
The vast majority of people who feel apathy retain the ability to occasionally enjoy certain types of activities. To start getting excited about what you do Therefore, it is good to think about projects to be developed over weeks or months and that involve carrying out one or more of these activities, to the point of making it their central pillar.
For example, creative people can go from spending all their free time watching television or visiting the Internet to setting out to write a short novel, make a low-budget short film, etc. Those, on the other hand, who are interested in a very specific hobby, can start a blog on that topic that in turn serves to generate a community, or decide to learn more about it, etc.
4. Resume your contacts
Having a good social life is important to overcome apathy, since isolation encourages entering into behavioral dynamics in which habit and passivity reign. Thus, having contact with old friends again is good, because on the one hand these people have greater possibilities of getting involved in activities or projects that we like (That friendship arose for a reason).
On the other hand, it never hurts to make new friends, since socialization situations in which you come into contact with new people usually They are exciting and can give rise to common stories that mean something to us.
However, this step does not have to be necessary, since deliberately seeking new friends is not something that everyone likes and does not necessarily guarantee that you will find someone who interests you. You simply have to evaluate that possibility.
6. Review your expectations
Sometimes, apathy appears mainly because a way of thinking that is too pessimistic has been internalized. But Just because life isn’t easy doesn’t mean good things can’t happen if we adopt constructive attitudes.
Therefore, anyone considering stopping being apathetic should review their expectations and stop to think if they are realistic or not. It is common for those who feel bad or apathetic to eliminate from their forecasts the possibility of feeling excited about something, but this is because of the emotional dynamics in which they enter, not because there is actually a law of the universe by which good things do not occur.
7. If necessary, seek help
Not all cases are easy to solve without help. Therefore, it is necessary to assess whether it is necessary seek professional help from psychologists. Apathy is still harmful just because it is not depression or sadness, and it is good to be aware of it in order to do everything possible to feel motivated and interested.
