There’s no doubt that one of the most painful and frustrating experiences in life has got to be when you resolve to turn over a new leaf in one way or another, and then get off to a good start – only to be completely sidetracked and thrown into a downward spiral shortly after.

For one reason or another, life often “gets in the way” and throws a world of mayhem at us that can keep us from finding our footing, and figuring out how to get back on the right track.

Here are some tips that might help you to escape, next time you find yourself in a negative loop.

Replace your bad habits with less harmful alternatives, that fulfill some of the same urges

One thing that often makes a negative situation develop into a downward spiral, is when we turn to bad habits as coping mechanisms – either to deal with stress, to gain an extra sense of energy, or just because our willpower has been depleted.

It’s often tricky to just drop a bad habit, cold turkey, so if you can’t face doing that, consider replacing your bad habits with less harmful alternatives that fulfill some of the same basic urges, but without being as detrimental.

Replacing smoking with vaping, for example, is one popular and effective strategy. The vape kit offered by Vsavi is of top quality, and it may be that the ability to puff clouds takes away some of the incentive to light up the old-fashioned way.

Begin with nutrition and exercise

When you’ve got a bad situation to deal with, and your entire life seems to be in an increasingly detrimental condition, it’s generally very helpful – and effective – to begin making changes in areas that are tangible and entirely under your control.

That’s where nutrition and exercise come in. You always have the ability to start eating more greens and cutting processed and deep-fried snacks out of your life. And you also have the ability to go for a jog, or get on the treadmill, even if you’re not in the mood.

The great thing about getting your nutrition and exercise fixed up is that you will have far more energy, feel far more positive and clearheaded, and be far more driven, as a result. Then, you can move onto other things.

If you can’t yet figure out the way forward, focus on subtraction

It can be hard trying to figure out where you should be heading when things are not going well. But it’s often easy to know which direction you shouldn’t be heading in.

If you can’t figure out the way forward, focus on subtraction – that is, make a list of all the things you’re doing on a regular basis that are dragging you down instead of lifting you up, and attack them relentlessly.

The more you can stop doing things that are clearly and ultimately detrimental to your health and well-being, the better off you will be and the more likely it is that the path forward will reveal itself.