Ever feel like you’re stuck in a rut? Maybe it feels like you don’t belong where you are, but you can’t find a way out. You’ve tried everything, but you just can’t see the light.

Countless self-help articles urge you to go all out in pursuit of your dreams, but this only leaves you feeling further from a life of fulfillment.

Your dreams might still be under construction, but you don’t have to feel pushed down by life any longer. You were not meant to just get by in life. You were meant for more. Life is full of ups and downs, but this does not mean that you should only aim to survive.

Remember those dreams you used to have? The ones that used to light your soul on fire? Don’t let yourself bury them any longer. Now is the time to finally start living, no matter what your circumstances may be on the outside.

Imagine looking back a year from now smiling at the fruits of your labor instead of wondering why you’re in the same exact place.

Below are 5 ways to finally start living out your truth not tomorrow, not the next day, but right this very second:

1. Listen to what your emotions are telling you

Stop stuffing down your emotions, telling yourself that everything is going to be alright and to just get through it. Please, just stop. Your emotions are meant to be a guide; a guide that can help you chart out your life in accordance to what truly matters to you.

We were not meant to be set on autopilot. We were meant to struggle and rejoice and paint the sky green. We were meant to feel alive. Whatever your emotions may be telling you, use them as clues in unlocking your truth.

“The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider’s web.” – Pablo Picasso

2. Stop thinking you need something else to be happy

Just decide that you are going to be happy with what you’ve got right now, today. While it is important to listen to your emotions, you must make peace with the things that you cannot change.

This does not mean that you are settling into your current lifestyle. This means that you are not going to make your life a living hell in pursuit of your goals. It’s important to have goals and dreams high enough that it takes some muscle, but it is also essential to realize that all we have is this moment.

Don’t look back on your life regretting that you constantly beat yourself up in search of some pot of gold. The gold is today, in this very moment. The gold is in how you treat others, in how much your roll up your sleeves when the going gets tough and in everything that cannot be seen.

3. Be so confident, no one can stop you

Confidence is one of the most powerful tools you could ever have and yet so few people actually have it. So, doesn’t it seem that if you could obtain your own self-confidence, you would go much further?

Once you decide to cut out the negative self-talk and commit yourself to becoming as confident as you can be, your whole life will change. With confidence, it is so much easier to get through obstacles in life.

Even more, confidence attracts the right people to you. It draws people in and makes them want to be around you. Make self-confidence a huge priority in your life and you will blaze a trail, instead of making every obstacle bigger than it is.

4. Demand respect

You may not be able to immediately change where you are in life and who you interact with on a daily basis, but you can absolutely demand respect from those around you. Without respect, you will not go very far. You will only dig yourself deeper in a hole that is not very easy to get out of.

Even when your voice shakes, make it a point to stand up for yourself. As a basic human right, we all deserve respect. Don’t be a slave to others who are not treating you right. Make the decision to love yourself first.

“When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everybody will respect you.” – Lao Tzu

5. Build your bubble

Those who create their own destiny do not allow the negativity of others to creep into their lives. They draw lines where needed. Whether it be saying no to too many commitments or being firm against those who want you to join their pity party, you must immediately cleanse your life of the BS.

To live life on your own terms, build a bubble of what matters to you and what you will allow. While a great deal of life is out of our control, we must recognize what is in our power. We call the shots on what we are willing to put up with.

Stop making excuses and decide to take control of what you can. Start playing offense, instead of defense. This is your life. Once you believe you have the power to change it, a new world opens up.

How are you going to take control of your life? Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below!