Well, while we might not be able to change the whole world to our advantage, we can change the way we interact. The choices you make and the attitude you have will always make a huge difference to your day. Even when it feels like the sky is falling and you can’t get anything right, a positive attitude and a few smart decisions can make all the difference.

So what can you change?

One of the major turning points between teenagehood and adulthood is learning to take Responsibility. Sure, you can choose which e liquid you want to try next or decide whether or not to stay out partying until the early hours but becoming an adult is about taking responsibility for everything you do. Responsibility is a full time job now and since you’re in charge, everything you decide will come back to you one way or another. 

Learning to take responsibility for your life isn’t easy - especially if you are struggling right now. But, what is does do is allow you to stop being the victim and start being your own saviour. Sure, things feel out of hand right now but what are you going to do about it? You can blame others, complain about life being unfair and drift along if you like, but you have the tools you need to make things better for yourself. 

Anxiety is becoming more and more common as the world gets more hectic. You are faced with people’s best online lives every day, subconsciously comparing yourself to the ‘ideal’ all the time and wondering what you got wrong. And social media is just the tip of the iceberg. Anxiety can come from the lack of meaningful social interaction, feeling overworked, lack of sleep, too much pressure to perform well, money stress, worry about the future… the list goes on. 

It’s far easier to say ‘don’t let anxiety take control’ than it is to act on the advice but please, if you’re feeling anxious, get help to overcome this feeling. Anxiety is highly treatable and talk therapies such as CBT are remarkable effective because they give you the tools you need to slow your spinning head down and start making smarter decisions. 

Any decision made by an anxious brain is probably over-thought and liable to make you even more stressed. Learning to slow down and take control of your thoughts will give you the time and space you need to make positive and proactive choices that benefit you far more.

When you can take responsibility and your anxiety is much calmer, you will find that life starts to feel a little easier. You won’t notice it to start with, but as your mind slows down, the onslaught of stuff will feel more manageable. Without panicked decision-making 24/7, you’ll have the time you need to assess and react accordingly. This is a huge amount of progress. 

But now you have another opportunity: you can adjust your priorities. 

When you are constantly trying to firefight your way through life, you don’t have an opportunity to reflect. Now you are calmer, what is it that you really want to achieve? What are your goals in life? 

Everyone is aiming for different things and your priorities will probably change as you get older too. For some, working up the career ladder is the most important thing right now. For others, meeting a significant other and starting a family might be higher up the list. The point is that you can choose which goals are right for you right now - don’t be led by the crowd or expectations. You have to do you. 

But, of course, even with a life goal, you must remember the most basic things you need: a healthy lifestyle, time to relax and unwind, positive relationships with friends and family. All these things form the foundation of a happy life. 

When life feels difficult, it’s easy to hide under your duvet and hope that things will get better of their own accord. But the reality is that you have an opportunity to take charge and decide how you are going to approach the challenges you face. It’s not easy but that’s life.