It’s Friday night, and I’ve realized what has to go down. It’s taken a few months to get to this point, and finally, the crossroad decision is here in all its glory. To do what I don’t want to do is so very hard. Like all of you reading this, all I want is to be happy.

Sometimes this idealistic concept of happiness has a major kink to it. What I’ve learned is that you still have to keep being happy. Don’t get thrown to the ground so easily and beat up. Then to top it off, don’t then beat yourself up, after you have already copped the beating of your life.

In these moments of chaos, sometimes all you can do is look forward to the sunshine. Picture yourself in your happy place with the one’s you love. If you haven’t met that one special person yet then have faith. Everything happens for a reason.

So when the inevitable meltdown happens, you’re going to have to be bold, stand up tall, and face the challenge head on. You’re going to have to develop a laser like focus and try not to let your emotions get to out of control.

Here are 9 life hacks I use when I face a meltdown:

1. Double your meditation routine (or start)

I’m assuming you are already meditating at least a few minutes a day. If you’re not, then you should use your meltdown as a starting point. Meditation is incredibly useful in dealing with tough moments in your life. When the meltdown happens, you need to double your practice.

For me, what that looks like is going from ten minutes a day to twenty. I become even more focused and trust in the process of meditation. I recommend you use it to not only calm your mind but to escape from your head temporarily.

2. Buy some indoor green plants

No, I’m not a hippie! I’ve found that indoor green plants help make you happy, relaxed, and feel creative. They’re often used in places where depression is treated, and they do something to your mind. Indoor plants feel fresh, and they clean the air.

Plants can reduce the room temperature and bring nature right to your bedroom or office. Whenever I write, I always make sure I have at least three green indoor plants next to me. I look for the one’s that are the most beautiful. Green indoor plants also help reset your eyes.

That’s why often the dashboard of your car is lit up with the color green.  is soothing for the human body. It takes us back to our natural habitat.

Having indoor plants in your home is one thing, but what I also do is try and go to cafes that have walls of them. Walls of indoor plants are all the rage, and they are popping up everywhere. Also, offices are starting to adopt the same indoor plant craze.

While working, try and park yourself near a few indoor plants. Take some time to admire them once in a while. Use them as a mindfulness trigger.

3. Clean up

During a life meltdown, one of the best things you can do is throw stuff out or give items to charity.

“A dark time in your life is a sign that you need to let go of feelings, thoughts, and physical things”

I did this recently and found things I had held onto for years. Some of those prized possessions were music related, and I donated them to a school music room who now utilize these items daily. The satisfaction you get from seeing others use your unwanted possessions is thrilling.

Redo your creative space at the same time. The place where you work, write, read, etc, can get stale after a while. Sometimes all you need to do is move a few things around, replace certain items, and give the space a real clean.

I had an old, dirty recycling bin in my office that I had had since a kid. I threw it out and bought a new one. Now when I look under my desk, I see something I like.

Part of the cleanup process is also to try having a more minimalist approach. See if you can remove all items from your desk or bedside table. See if having nothing on these flat surfaces makes you feel different. I find that during a meltdown, it’s the best time to become even more minimalist.

Minimalism makes you feel better, and it’s one of the cures to a major meltdown.

4. Go on a long drive somewhere

Driving to the beach or the countryside is very therapeutic. Now I’m biased because I just bought a new car and like to find places to drive it. That said, I still love driving. When things don’t go your way, it’s time to let the natural world take you out of your head.

Let driving take you on a journey to a place you’ve not been for a while. Let driving be a metaphor for your life journey and know that you can always change the route. You control the car just like you control your life. We have so much power, and we don’t even realize it half the time.

5. Let positive people make a difference

Nothing kills the hard times better than positive people. If you’re going through a meltdown, then become obsessed with only being around positive people for a while. Drive for hours if you have to, to get around positive people who have new ideas.

The first thing I did when I experienced my recent meltdown was get into the car and visit the most inspiring people I knew. Being part of Addicted2Success makes this easy for me, but with the Internet, anyone can connect with anyone regardless.

Find the person on LinkedIn who is writing the most uplifting posts and take them to lunch. Approach the motivational speaker after his talk and tell them you want to go to dinner. Whatever happens, become committed to getting near the people that are happy and have more of what you want.

Find the person you want to become once you get through your meltdown and be their best friend. If you do this, you’ll see how quickly things can turn around for you. Never give up!

6. Add “SUPER” to your food

During a meltdown, you emotions, energy, and mental state suffer the most. What you need is a chemical reaction within your body that is going to increase your energy so that your emotions and mental state are not lowered.

The quickest way to do this is by adding superfoods and natural produce to your diet. Go out and try the following:

– Nuts
– Goji Berries
– Avocado
– Salmon
– Coconut oil

At the same time, make sure you are staying well hydrated. Add some lemon and Himalayan salt to your water to add extra energy to your day. Hydration keeps you energized.

7. Take a vacation

Meltdowns can consume our entire life for a given period of time. The way to short-circuit your meltdown is to go on a holiday. It’s a near impossible task to remain in a negative state when you’re in a foreign country.

Make the vacation about some quality alone time for you to take a break. A meltdown is the sign of a new chapter in your life and these chapters are best started with a break. I’m terrible at taking this advice, but when I do, I feel phenomenal. I return home with a new perspective and a different mindset towards my challenges in life.

8. Whack on a podcast

There’s a common theme with the life hacks mentioned in this blog post: a lot of the advice is centered around positivity. It’s almost impossible to have a drawn-out meltdown in your life when everything you hear, see, and taste says positivity.

Podcasts have been a real shining light for me. I’ve learned so many lessons and most of all; I’ve learned the power of conversation. Listening to quality conversations shows you how you can do the same. Conversations are one of the best ways to grow and learn from what you’re observing.

The 3 podcasts to start with are:

The Tim Ferris Show
The School Of Greatness
The James Altucher Show

9. Go for a walk

How can walking possibly be a life hack for overcoming a meltdown? The answer was given to me by a recent Toastmasters speaker. He explained all of the benefits of walking. Some of these include: getting to know your neighborhood, a time to think clearly, free exercise, an increase in energy, a time to listen to audiobooks, etc.

While thinking about the subject of walking, I realized that my transformation in 2011 was directly affected by walking. One of the first things I did was walk around the block late at night. As the days passed, I then started listening to Tony Robbins tapes on my iPod.

It’s only now that I figured out how important walking was to starting this transformational process. It’s difficult to be down in the dumps when you go for a walk regularly. Walking has given me some of the best solutions and clarity of mind that I have ever experienced. Don’t underestimate the power of walking.

If you want to increase your productivity and learn some more valuable life hacks, then join my private mailing list on timdenning.net