What to Do When You’re Frustrated With Yourself

Last Updated on August 1, 2022

Life happens.

Sometimes we feel happy and fulfilled. And there are also times when we fail, and we feel bad about ourselves. This is the fact of life that we should accept.

Life is a rollercoaster ride, and we just need to go with the flow for us to be fully happy with ourselves.

But what to do when you’re frustrated with yourself? Are there ways to avoid this feeling? Or maybe some tips to lessen its burden?

Of course, there are! And that’s what this article is all about as we’ll help you cope up with the stress and anxiety that frustration brings.

Do breathing exercises

One of the best ways to deal with frustration is to just take a deep breath. It might sound very simple, but it’s a very effective way to regain back your bearings. It oxygenates your blood and helps you keep up with your breathing pattern.

Having regular and optimal breathing then helps you think clearer. It also puts you into a good mood because you aren’t struggling with your breath.

Take note you can’t breathe properly if you are frustrated with yourself. That’s why you need to do regular breathing exercises. Use your nose to inhale deeply and then exhale using your mouth.

Regular breathing also brings more oxygen to your brain and calms you down. You can also try the 4-7-8 breathing pattern.

You inhale for four seconds and then hold your breath for seven seconds. You then exhale for eight seconds. This helps you keep up with your breathing’s regular pacing and makes you feel lighter.

Exercise regularly

Regular exercise is a surefire way to help you cope up with frustration. Engaging in physical activity boosts your mood and helps you feel happier.

It also regulates stress and keeps your body pumped with adrenaline that makes you more energetic. Exercise is a great way to release stored energy because it tones your muscles and makes you feel more alive.

A good example is to run and focus on how your feet hit the ground. This helps you forget about your problems because you think about what’s currently happening. And that is your feet hitting the ground. It’s a simple way to break your stress pattern.

You can also try cycling because this lets you go to places without depending on any vehicle. You only rely on yourself and how you’ve conditioned your body. Reaching far places by only cycling helps you feel good about yourself and helps ease your frustration.

Meditate

Meditation is another effective way to deal with frustration. It helps you connect with your feelings and create a space between your emotions and thoughts. This then helps you settle into self-awareness which you need to feel lighter.

You assess yourself, think about your experiences and accept it as it is. The only way to achieve fulfillment is by being at peace with yourself. Sometimes we feel too cramped up from our daily activities.

There’s also a good chance that you already have to deal with too many people. Being alone and listening to relaxing and mellow music during meditation can rid you all the clutter in your life.

Related: What are Signs of Frustration

Enjoy the great outdoors

Go outside and breathe fresh air as you look at the blue sky. Feel the gentle heat of the sun touch your skin and enjoy life as it is.

The outdoors is an opportunity for you to be free and feel one with nature. This relieves you of stress as it helps you see the bigger picture. It’s not always about you and other people. But it’s more about how you treat life.

Enjoying the outdoors lets you do just that because you see the world as it is. This also helps you take a break from work and soothe your eyes. It’s a great way to avoid work burnout and feel more frustrated about your failed projects.

The outdoors gives you hope because it offers you an unlimited number of opportunities. You just have to open your mind and see that there is hope. Well, the great outdoors reminds you of that.

Control your expectations

One of the most common reasons why we feel frustrated is because of our expectations. We feel sad and disappointed about ourselves if we don’t reach our goals.

We then think that we are a failure because we can’t accomplish what we want to achieve. That’s a wrong mindset.

Change it, so you don’t always feel bad about yourself. Accept the fact that no one is perfect and there is no way you can fully expect someone’s behavior. Including yourself!

Change your perception and don’t hold too much to standards that you can’t meet because it will just hurt you. Set realistic goals and don’t aim too high. Well, there might be times when we aim higher so that we don’t fall too much if we can’t do it.

That’s a good mindset. But also remember that you must assess yourself first. Don’t force yourself to do something you know you can’t do properly. Life is a step-by-step approach. Take one step at a time and don’t rush things. Know your place, and you’ll reach your goals in no time.

Treat yourself

You need to be happy. Working hard is good. But you’ll just drain yourself if you always keep on working hard. We aren’t robots. We are human and we need rest and time to indulge on the things we want and need.

Treat yourself so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor. Even a simple chocolate bar or a trip to the local coffee shop will suffice. Don’t take life very hard. You need some downtime to feel good and work in your optimal self.

You’ll also be always in the mood because you are surrounded by the things you like. You won’t then feel bad about yourself because you know there are better things in life than just thinking about your failures.

Related: How Do I Get Rid of My Short Temper

Spend time with your pet

Pets are not just animals that live in your house. They are a part of your family, and they are a source of support and comfort. Many studies prove that interacting with animals decrease cortisol levels.

Cortisol is a stress hormone that makes you feel anxious. You can, but, lower this down by playing with cute things such as pets! There are even studies that show this can also lower blood pressure.

One good example of this is to play with your pet dog and cat. They are fluffy creatures that feel good to the touch.

They also want to bond with you by licking your hand or body and cuddling with you. These small traits make you feel loved and special. This can then make you feel good about yourself and forget the troubles and stress you have from your failures.

Play good music

Listen to pleasant music to feel calm and relax. We recommend you listen to jazz oldies like songs from Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. These have a mellow rhythm that relaxes your mind.

You can also listen to the Beatles or some of Elvis Presley’s hits if you want to lighten your mood. Music has a sound effect on our brain because of its tune and lyrics. This gives you some downtime to relax and forget your troubles.

Here are some other artists who have songs that can help you relax:

• The Lettermen
• Cascades
• Nat King Cole
• Trio Los Panchos
• BeeGees

You might have noticed that you easily get stressed if you’re in a silent place with no sounds. Well, that’s true because the emptiness makes you feel alone. It can even make you feel more sad and depressed! Just listen to good music and you can avoid that.

Declutter your things

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Organize your things and fix up its set up. This isn’t a big deal because you can spend just ten to 15 minutes cleaning your room. You can also arrange the clothes in your cabinet. Or maybe tidy up your drawer and pantry.

Use your energy to do something good just like cleaning. This not only makes you productive. But you also feel good about yourself because you finished doing something even if it’s just a small thing.

This also helps you get rid of frustration because you know you did something meaningful. It’s all about making the most out of your free time and remaining energy.

So why not use it for something fruitful? This also clears up your mind because you will live in a clean and organized place. You can also easily find something because you’ve arranged your things.

Failure is temporary

Always remember that bad things don’t last. They are just fleeting moments in time that will pass soon.

Frustration is not an ongoing experience. It is just a natural reaction to failed expectations. We can compare it to the weather that always changes. Note that emotions are just temporary feelings. This stops them from overpowering your senses and stops you from your tracks.

Think about the good things in life and what awaits your future. There is always hope for a better future because you are alive.

You can do anything you want as long as you have the skills, passion, and resources. Just make sure that you don’t abuse this freedom. Treat frustrations as natural emotions that make you think of the other side of life.

Related: Why Do I Get Frustrated So Easily?

Look for a solution

Think about the solution to your frustration once you’ve gathered back your senses. Know what frustrates you and get rid of it or fix it. Use your logical mind to assess yourself and analyze the situation you’re in.

This is important so that you can avoid frustrating experiences again in the future. Maybe you aren’t studying that well. Or you sleep too late that’s why you can’t work properly in your job.

Know these things and look beyond yourself. Check out the things around you and the people you mingle with.

Do they drag you down and always set unrealistic experiences? Ditch them out from your circle and find more productive people. Get rid of unproductive habits that waste your time and energy.

Appreciate

This might sound like another simple thing. But this can work wonders! Appreciate what you have and even the small things around you. Dissatisfaction is the primary cause of frustration, that’s why you need to be satisfied.

Look at what you have. You might not have all that you want. But think about the time when you have nothing at all.

It doesn’t matter if you still have little money. You can remember those times when you’re still at school and you still have to depend on your parents. Also, don’t compare yourself to others too much. Be happy with what you have because other people have nothing.

Know that there are others who don’t have a home to stay in or food and water to eat and drink. Think about these things and you’ll see how lucky you are.

Get rid of toxic people

Surround yourself with the right people. Don’t spend time with people who don’t have dreams and aspirations in life because you’ll be like them.

Remember the saying that the birds with the same feather flock together? That saying is true because people with the same personalities, attitudes, and outlooks in life gather. That is why you must be with productive and successful people.

Improve your network and build it up so that you can expand your horizons further. You don’t want to just be a douchebag and watch Netflix series in your house all day.

Connect with people and get rid of people who always gossip and deal with vices. You want to be successful and fully happy, right? Well, that’s what proper networking is.

Conclusion

You should know what to do when you’re frustrated with yourself. Not only will this make you happier in life, but this can also make you more successful.

It’s all about achieving your dreams with no fear of failure or disturbance from failed achievements.

Accept life as it is. After all, we are just human. And it’s normal to fail at some point. Just don’t take it too seriously. Learn from it, accept it, and overcome failures.

Know what to do when you’re frustrated with yourself so you can turn your weaknesses into strengths and you’ll surely be on the right track.