You probably have a laundry list of reasons why you’re not yet living the life you truly want to live. Some of those reasons may be outside your control, but many of them are within your control. Here’s how to overcome yourself and start living a life you feel good about.

Think About the End Goal

There are some things that you may not have started because it’s difficult to see the outcome. Long-term goals are sometimes difficult to jump into for that reason. However, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Whether it’s starting a weight loss program or getting a degree from an online Master of Social Work program, there is always a positive outcome from all of your hard work. Keeping that outcome in mind will help you get through all of your stress and rough days. It may not seem like it now, but it will be well worth it in the long run.

Soothe Yourself When Frustration Kicks In

When people get frustrated, it’s easy to shut down and stop pursuing the life you’re after. Instead of shutting down and giving up, come up with a few self-soothing tactics to turn to. Meditating, working out or even doing a few minutes of deep breathing will help you refocus.

Don’t Compare Yourself to Others

The only person you should be competing against is yourself. Even if you feel great about what you’re working on, you may start feeling crummy if you compare yourself to people who have gotten farther than you. Always try to remember that everyone had to start from somewhere. Just because you’re at a different part of your process, that doesn’t mean you’re doing anything worse than those around you.

Help Other People

Few things feel as good as helping others. If you’re feeling down or you can’t seem to get motivated to do anything, help someone else. You’ll feel a sense of accomplishment and you’ll know that you contributed something great to somebody who needs it.

Give Yourself a Pat on the Back

Whenever you accomplish something, no matter how small it is, give yourself a pat on the back. Instant gratification makes it easier to continue pursuing things that you want. You can even setup a reward system for yourself, so long as it doesn’t go against your goals. For example, if you’re committed to building a savings account, your reward system shouldn’t involve spending money.

Overall, there are always going to be things outside of yourself that you have no control over, but instead of worrying about those things, just focus on the things that you can control. That way you can relieve a lot of stress and live the life you have always dreamed of living.