Sometimes life can get so stressful and complicated that running away seems like the only solution. There are a number of ways to escape, from doing little things like getting lost in a good book to more complex choices like moving in. This article will not only show you different escape routes, it will also give you tips on how to improve your life, so that you no longer have the need to escape.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Get started
Step 1. What are you trying to escape from and why?
Ask yourself this question. If you know the cause of your dissatisfaction, you can figure out how to escape. Examples:
- If you find that you are dissatisfied with your job, then you have to change your profession (or some aspect) to escape from your life. Click here to find some ideas.
- If you are dissatisfied with where you live, then the answer may be to move. Click here to find some ideas.
- If you want to run away from your life because of a bad relationship, then you need to solve the problem first. Click here to find some ideas.
- If you want to escape your life because you feel like nothing exciting ever happens to you, try new hobbies. Click here to find some ideas.
Step 2. Before making any major changes, make sure you have a contingency plan
Before you decide to change jobs, you must already have a plan B, even if it is only temporary. If you are planning to move, first visit the place in question and look for a home.
Method 2 of 5: Change Your Environment
Step 1. Escape your life by changing your environment
Sometimes the usual places and the usual sounds can start to get tight and affect one's mood. Maybe you feel caged or on the verge of going crazy. A change of scenery can help you. It can be something as simple as taking a hike, taking another route to school, or planning a trip. You can do this for a day or forever. This section will give you ideas on how to escape from your life by changing the environment in which you live.
Step 2. Go for a hike or a walk
Just like traveling, an excursion allows you to connect with new sights and sounds. However, unlike traveling, it requires less effort. Try visiting a national park or nature reserve. If there aren't any in your area or you can't reach any, take a walk around your neighborhood or visit a park in your city.
Step 3. Connect with new sights and sounds while traveling
You can visit another country or another region. You can also go to a nearby town by taking a road trip. New landscapes, sounds, scents and flavors can break the monotony of your days. Traveling can also allow you to experiment with a new identity, if only for a short time. Upon returning, you may feel renewed and ready to face life with more enthusiasm than before.
Are you planning to move abroad for some time? Ask your boss if you can take a gap year so you don't have to leave your job. Depending on your profession, you may have the option of working from home and submitting projects over the internet. If you work for a large retail company, ask if you can be temporarily relocated elsewhere
Step 4. Consider changing jobs
If you want to escape your life because of your profession, you could work in another company. It is possible that you are dissatisfied with the way your boss runs or with the general functioning of the business. You may be happier working for someone else.
Step 5. Consider a new career
If you are truly dissatisfied with your job and life, you may want to consider another career path. Try enrolling in a class or college to get a better idea of other careers. If you discover a new interest, try to qualify and earn a degree to be able to find a job more easily. Make sure you do some research on the new path, as you don't want to waste your time and energy on something that's not really your thing.
- If you can't go to college, try taking an online course.
- If you don't feel like working for a company, you can always opt for freelance or freelance employment.
Step 6. Try making changes to your current job
If you can't leave it, ask your supervisor to find out how to change it at least partially. The solution could be as simple as giving you another office or different projects. If the company organizes events or parties, ask if you can be assigned to the planning team.
Step 7. Consider moving or exchanging your home with someone
Just like traveling, a transfer allows you to discover new sights, sounds, scents and flavors. The new environment will replace the old one, and this may be enough to escape. If you are unable to move, you could exchange your home with someone else.
If you want to move, but can't afford a new home on your own, you could rent one together with other people. You can also rent a studio or room in someone else's house
Step 8. Find out about the exchange programs organized by your school or university
If you are a student, you may not be able to move elsewhere. However, many high schools and universities offer exchange programs that will allow you to study abroad. Especially in the case of high schools, housing is often made available by the families participating in the project. If you don't get along well with your family or students at your school, it can be a great way to escape.
However, remember that almost all exchange programs have specific requirements, such as speaking the language of the destination country. For example, if your school only allows exchanges in France, you will not be able to go there without taking a French course first
Step 9. Consider moving to another city, region or country
Sometimes the place where you live is not the right one for your needs or your way of being. The people, the lifestyle, the air itself could oppress you and prevent you from living at your best. In this case the right solution could be to move elsewhere. In any case, before making any drastic changes, find out about the place where you intend to live and visit it for a couple of days or weeks, staying in a hotel or with a friend. If you like the new city or new country, start planning to live there.
- Do your research first and visit the place you'd like to move. You certainly don't want to be trapped in a place you would end up hating.
- To move, it is not always necessary to buy a house: it is possible to rent an apartment or, to pay less, a studio apartment.
Step 10. Change your room or home to renovate
Sometimes new sheets are enough to transform the atmosphere of a room. You can also try to move the furniture: the movement itself will help to distract you, not to mention that the novelty will bring a breath of fresh air into the house. This can allow you to change your life a little bit. It's almost like moving to a new place, but not actually doing it. Here are other ideas:
- Paint your room. You can also try using wallpaper. If you're renting, consider wall stickers - you can peel them off when you need to move.
- Buy new curtains, rugs, or lamps.
- Buy new furniture or paint old ones to renovate them.
- Try fixing leaky faucets, broken fixtures, and burned out light bulbs. This could help you fight anxiety.
- Clutter can make you feel overwhelmed, both physically and emotionally. Try selling or giving away things you no longer use.
Method 3 of 5: Changing Your Lifestyle
Step 1. Changing your lifestyle can help you:
find out why. Sometimes it is not possible to escape from one's existence by moving or changing jobs. However, changing your lifestyle can help you feel new and have the energy to deal with various problems.
Step 2. Try to eat healthy and drink plenty of water
Changing your diet can sometimes help you feel refreshed, especially if your eating habits change dramatically. Try to eat more fruits and vegetables, while avoiding junk food and fast food.
Fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins and nutrients, which provide the energy you need to stay fit and healthy. A healthy body is a happy body
Step 3. Try to sleep well or go to bed earlier
If you already sleep eight hours a night but still feel tired the next day, try to go to bed early. Getting little sleep can make you feel exhausted and vulnerable, so you may think the situation is much worse than it really is.
Step 4. Try physical activity to distract yourself
This way you could focus more on training than your life. You don't necessarily have to go to the gym, you can also go for a walk or run. If so, try going to the park - the environment will help refresh your mind.
Step 5. Try to follow a routine
If you have a chaotic life because many things are out of your control, you can try to set a schedule to feel less at the mercy of events. Try waking up and going to sleep at the same time all the time. Have breakfast, lunch and dinner at the same time every day. You can also try to schedule an enjoyable activity on a specific day of the week, whether it's watching a movie, jogging, painting, or hitting the gym.
Step 6. Try meditating for 10-20 minutes a day
This can help you fight stress and see life with optimism. It can also benefit your health, as it lowers blood pressure and improves circulation. Try to imagine the repetition of a sound, a word or a phrase. Make sure you focus on your breathing - it should be slow and natural. While meditating, try not to think about anything else. If thoughts arise in your mind, acknowledge them, but don't focus on them.
- Try meditating as soon as you wake up - this is usually the easiest time to focus. Meditation can also be a great way to start the day stress-free.
- If you don't feel relaxed after your first meditation session, don't give up. It may be necessary to try something. Keep calm and patience, let the practice improve over time.
- Concentrating the mind can be difficult. In this case, try meditating for only a few minutes at first before gradually building up to a full 10-20 minute session.
Step 7. Try to find an escape with faith
If you are a religious person, you can ask for help or advice in your parish. You may also find it helpful to pray by addressing your god. If you are not a religious person but wish to become one, find out about the cults that interest you and try attending a prayer meeting. If you are not a religious person and have no intention of following any creed, once a day or week try to take time out to reflect on your life and what you want to change. Sometimes you just need to think positively or cultivate your emotional strength.
Method 4 of 5: Always Be Positive
Step 1. Ending a toxic relationship and discovering the positives in your life can help:
find how. Sometimes one is dissatisfied because things don't go as desired. You may not be on good terms with loved ones or you may not have many friends. You can escape negativity by identifying the positives in your life or by cultivating new friends. This section will give you tips on how to escape from negative things and change them.
If you understand what are the aspects of your life that make you happy, then you will no longer feel the need to escape
Step 2. Try to capture the positive aspects of your life
If you can't escape, then you can try to improve it. At the end of the day, write down at least one pleasant thing that happened to you. You may begin to see your life in a positive light and no longer feel the need to escape. Thinking constructively can help you fight stress and anxiety. If you can't remember a good time, then try to create it. Here are some ideas:
- Go for a walk and try to find something beautiful around you, like a simple flower.
- Read a book or blog that inspires you.
- Treat yourself to an ice cream or your favorite food.
- Watch a comedy.
Step 3. Help others by volunteering at a charity
Sometimes lending a hand to others allows you to get distracted from your own problems. Acts of kindness like volunteering can also help you think about yourself and your life with greater optimism.
Several studies show that volunteering can help you fight depression and make your life meaningful
Step 4. Fix relationships instead of running away
If you want to escape from your life because of a relationship that isn't working, try fixing it first. At that point you may find that ultimately running away is useless. Talk to the person concerned to understand what they think about the relationship and how to improve it. Make sure you write down the changes you need to make and focus on both yourself and the other person. If she has to change everything, she may not be willing to cooperate with you.
- Remember that you can only control your own actions and emotions, not those of the other person. You can certainly suggest and request changes, but that doesn't mean you actually implement them.
- Remember that some relationships cannot be saved and it would be better to end them.
Step 5. If possible, end toxic relationships
There are people who complicate your life and make you want to escape. However, instead of leaving, it would be easier to break off any relationship with them. If you are the victim of a toxic relationship, first try to fix it. If that's not possible, then try to quit, which can result in a separation or divorce.
- If you are a minor and live in a toxic environment, try to move in with other family members. Ask if you can live in the home of an aunt, an uncle, an older brother or sister, a grandfather.
- Try seeing a therapist. They can help you cope with the breakup and give you advice on how to act.
- Try to be honest with the person concerned. If he insists, tell him you won't change your mind.
Step 6. Nurture new relationships
If you can't physically escape your life, try spending time with your friends. You do not have any? Try to make new ones. Surrounding yourself with people who make you happy can help you forget the negative aspects of your daily life. If you have problems around the house, some friends may even invite you to sleep with them for a couple of nights. Here are some ideas on how to make friends, should you need them:
- Try joining a group or club at a school or center.
- A friendship doesn't have to be physical. You can also grow it on the internet. Try joining a forum or chat dedicated to your interests.
- Don't be afraid to get involved. If you want to get to know someone better or think you might have a friendship, invite them to go out, or chat over the phone or on the internet.
- Always try to be well disposed and support others.
- Consider a dating site. If you are single and feeling lonely, sharing your thoughts and emotions with someone can help you.
Method 5 of 5: Finding Distractions
Step 1. Cultivating a hobby can help you escape from your life
Sometimes it is not possible to move elsewhere, change schools or find a new job. However, by choosing new hobbies it is possible to mentally escape from your life, at least for a while. This section will give you some ideas.
Step 2. Escape the world around you by reading a book
Novels can make you distract and forget the world around you at least for a while. You can relate to the characters and their problems can make you forget yours.
Children's classics are perfect. These worlds are often idealistic and pleasant to discover. They can offer you a great escape
Step 3. Distract yourself with a video game
Just like with books, a game's storyline can distract you from all the negative things around you. The action and puzzles to solve can also keep you busy and take your mind elsewhere, so you will focus less on your problems.
Try a MMORPG game. There are endless levels and places to explore. Many of them are constantly updated with new challenges and territories
Step 4. Watch a new show for a weekly fixture
Not only will it help distract you, every week you will be looking forward to a new episode. The anticipation and enthusiasm can also make you escape from the world around you, at least up to a point.
Step 5. Calm your mind by listening to music
It can help you relax in times of stress, but it can also help distract you from your problems for a while.
Step 6. Keep busy with a new hobby
Knitting, drawing, martial arts, or playing an instrument won't help you physically escape your life, but it can offer you a mental escape. Probably a new pastime will absorb you so much that you won't even have time to think about the world around you. But remember that it will be temporary - most hobbies only offer a couple of hours of relief.
Step 7. Change your life
Doing the same thing over and over again day after day can get monotonous, causing boredom or depression. Twisting your daily routine can lift your spirits and help clear your mind. This will bring a breath of fresh air into your life, which will make it feel less tiring and tedious. But you don't have to change everything: just a couple of things are enough. Here are some starting points:
- Treat yourself to a special dessert every now and then.
- If you go to the same bar every day, try ordering something new.
- See a friend for lunch or a movie. This will help you break up the week and everything will feel less monotonous. If you have a fixed weekly appointment, you will be looking forward to it.
- Try breaking new ground to work or school. Seeing the same things over and over can make you dwell on how monotonous and boring your life is, so it's good to change your path from time to time. The new sights, sounds and smells may be enough to distract you from other worries.
