Are you dealing with a situation that make you feel like you are drowning?

Maybe you have too many bills and not enough money. Maybe there is a relationship problem that you don’t know how to handle. Or maybe you feel attacked from all corners of your life.

You are not sure how much longer you can keep your head above water. And you are afraid to find out what might happen if something doesn’t change.

STOP.

Take a breath. Hold on to positive, hopeful thoughts as you look for ways to change your situation.

Here are five options that might keep you from drowning in a bad situation:

1. Take different actions to resolve the problem.
“If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you get.” You might not have created your problems, but you do have a role to play. What can you do differently that might change or improve your situation?

2. Ask for help from the right person or resource.
Your best friend can offer you sympathy, but does he or she have the right information to help you solve your problem? Instead of looking for a shoulder to cry on, find someone who can help you move out of your bad situation.

Connect with someone not directly related to your situation who might have a different perspective on things. Or talk to people who went through a situation like yours in the past. Ask how they got through it. You can learn a lot from others’ mistakes and triumphs.

3. Remove yourself from the situation.
Dealing with big life issues can feel like swimming in deep water. Sometimes you need to take a break to get some rest, clear your head, and get a different perspective.

4. Accept help when it’s offered.
Help might come from a person or an organization. When assistance or information is offered, say thank you, then check it out to see if it is the right resource for you. We often want to solve problems alone. Don’t let your ego keep you from accepting a way out of your bad situation.

5. Change your attitude.
The only thing in life you can control is you. Do you have a problem that doesn’t seem to be getting better? Then don’t try to change the situation, change how you think about the problem. Look at it from a different angle. Think about some good things that might come of this bad situation. Or look at the lessons you are learning or what you might gain.

Change your thoughts and you will change how you feel about the situation. When you change how you feel and react to the problem, you might influence the people around you or come up with new ideas to move out of the negative place.

More Info:

• Life Changes: Are You Just Treading Water? (DeniseMpls)
• 10 Enemies of Personal Greatness (Marc and Angel Hack Life)
• 17 Ways To Live A Horrible Life (DeniseMpls)
• 7 Little Habits That Can Change Your Life, and How to Form Them (Zenhabits)
•  How To Live A Life Worth Living (DeniseMpls)

About DeniseMpls: Denise Felder  is a writer and career adviser encouraging everyday people to make positive life and career choices.