If you feel like you’re stuck in survival mode—constantly exhausted, barely making progress, and always waiting for something to change—you’re not alone. Many of the habits that keep you feeling stuck aren’t major life decisions but small, daily behaviors that add up over time. Breaking free from these destructive patterns is what separates people who just get by from those who truly thrive. If you recognize yourself in any of these, it might be time to make a change.
1. Ignoring When You’re Clearly Burnt Out
Burnout doesn’t happen overnight—it’s a slow build-up of exhaustion, emotional depletion, and feeling like you have nothing left to give. But if you grew up in an environment where pushing through was praised, you might ignore the warning signs. You tell yourself you just need to get through the week, the month, or the next big hurdle, and then you’ll rest. The problem? That rest never actually happens. As reported by WebMD, ignoring burnout can lead to severe exhaustion, emotional depletion, and reduced performance in both personal and professional life.
Thriving means recognizing that burnout isn’t a badge of honor. Rest isn’t a reward for working yourself to the edge—it’s a necessity. If you don’t slow down, your body and mind will force you to, whether you like it or not. Pay attention to the signs before it gets to that point.
2. Waking Up And Immediately Checking Your Phone For News Of Doom
It’s tempting to roll over, grab your phone, and start scrolling the second you wake up. But this habit hijacks your focus before your day has even begun. Instead of easing into your morning, you’re immediately bombarded with notifications, emails, and the stress of social media. You start your day reacting instead of intentionally choosing how you want to feel. According to Unplugged, immediately checking your phone upon waking can disrupt your sleep-wake cycle and increase stress and anxiety levels throughout the day.
If you want to thrive, be mindful of how you start your mornings. Even just five minutes of stretching, deep breathing, or sitting in silence before grabbing your phone can shift your entire mindset. Give yourself space to wake up on your terms, not the internet’s.
3. Keeping People That You Don’t Like Around
Maybe it’s out of guilt, obligation, or fear of being alone, but keeping people in your life who drain you does more harm than good. If you constantly feel on edge around someone, find yourself dreading their calls, or feel worse after spending time with them, they might not belong in your life anymore. Relationships should add value, not take from you. CDSPI suggests that keeping toxic people in your life can contribute to burnout, as these relationships often drain your energy and negatively impact your well-being.
Letting go of toxic or one-sided connections isn’t selfish—it’s necessary. You don’t need to make a dramatic exit, but you do need to prioritize your peace. The people who deserve a place in your life won’t make you feel like you have to tolerate them.
4. Thinking That Doing The Bare Minimum Is “Protecting Your Peace”
Rest is essential, but there’s a difference between self-care and avoidance. If you’ve convinced yourself that pulling back from everything—work, relationships, personal growth—is a way to “protect your peace,” you might just be running from discomfort. Growth requires effort, and effort isn’t the enemy. Research from Calm indicates that confusing avoidance with self-care can hinder personal growth and exacerbate burnout symptoms.
Thriving means learning when to push yourself and when to rest. If you’re constantly avoiding responsibility, progress, or challenges under the guise of self-care, ask yourself if you’re actually protecting your peace or just avoiding the discomfort of effort.
5. Waiting For Motivation To Start Anything
Motivation is unreliable. If you only take action when you feel inspired, you’ll never build the consistency needed to actually change your life. The most successful people aren’t the most motivated—they’re the most disciplined. They act even when they don’t feel like it. HelpGuide reports that waiting for motivation to start tasks can lead to procrastination and decreased productivity, which are common signs of burnout.
Instead of waiting for the perfect moment or the right mood, just start. Momentum creates motivation, not the other way around. The sooner you build habits that don’t rely on how you feel in the moment, the sooner you’ll break free from survival mode.
6. Checking Out The Minute Something Becomes Challenging
When things get tough, do you mentally check out? Do you abandon projects, lose interest, or convince yourself it’s not worth the effort? If so, you might be self-sabotaging without even realizing it. Challenges aren’t a sign that something isn’t meant for you—they’re a normal part of growth.
Instead of quitting when things get hard, get curious. Ask yourself why you’re struggling and what you can learn from the experience. Thriving isn’t about avoiding difficulty—it’s about developing resilience and pushing through even when it’s uncomfortable.
7. Trying To Resurrect Past Friendships And Relationships That Died For A Reason
It’s natural to miss people from your past, but if you keep trying to rekindle old relationships that ended for good reasons, you might be holding yourself back. Nostalgia has a way of making us forget why things fell apart in the first place. Maybe they weren’t good for you, maybe you outgrew them, or maybe they simply weren’t meant to last.
Thriving means letting go of what no longer serves you. If someone is meant to be in your life, they’ll find their way back in without you forcing it. Focus on building connections that align with who you are now, not who you used to be.
8. Editing Your Life Story To Make Yourself Sound More Interesting
If you feel the need to exaggerate, downplay, or edit your life experiences to impress others, you might not be as comfortable in your own skin as you think. Whether it’s embellishing achievements, hiding failures, or pretending to like things you don’t, this habit disconnects you from your true self.
Authenticity is magnetic. People are drawn to those who are unapologetically themselves, flaws and all. Thriving means embracing who you really are, without feeling the need to curate a version of yourself for outside approval.
9. Spending All Your Time Daydreaming Instead Of Living
Daydreaming can be an escape, but if you spend more time fantasizing about the life you want than actually building it, you’re stuck in survival mode. It’s easy to get lost in your thoughts, picturing a different reality, but without action, nothing changes.
Use your dreams as a blueprint, not a replacement for action. If you catch yourself constantly zoning out into “what ifs,” bring yourself back to the present and start making small moves toward what you actually want.
10. Starting New Projects But Never Finishing Them
The excitement of starting something new is intoxicating, but if you have a habit of jumping from one project to another without following through, you might be addicted to the initial rush rather than the actual process. This cycle leaves you with a trail of unfinished work and unmet goals.
Thriving means seeing things through, even when the excitement fades. It’s about committing, following through, and understanding that real progress happens in the less glamorous middle phase—not just at the beginning or the end.
11. Dismissing Compliments Because You Haven’t Worked On Your Self-Esteem
When someone gives you a compliment, do you immediately downplay it? Do you shrug off praise, make a self-deprecating joke, or redirect the conversation? If so, it might be a sign that you struggle with self-worth. Many people who grew up in environments where validation was rare or conditional find it hard to accept kindness from others without discomfort.
Thriving means allowing yourself to receive appreciation without feeling like you have to reject it. The next time someone compliments you, resist the urge to brush it off. Instead, say “thank you” and let yourself absorb it. A simple acknowledgment can slowly shift your mindset toward believing you are worthy of good things without needing to justify them.
12. Confusing Being Busy With Actually Making Progress
Staying busy feels productive, but if you’re constantly moving without direction, you might just be spinning your wheels. Some people fill their schedules with endless tasks to avoid dealing with bigger issues or uncomfortable emotions. It’s easy to mistake movement for progress, but they are not the same thing.
Thriving means being intentional with your time. Instead of focusing on how much you’re doing, ask yourself if what you’re doing is actually getting you closer to your goals. Cut out the unnecessary distractions, prioritize what truly matters, and work smarter—not just harder.
13. Never Letting Yourself Fully Enjoy Good Things
If you’re constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop, you might struggle to enjoy happiness when it arrives. Maybe you tell yourself that things are “too good to be true,” or you start preparing for something to go wrong the second you experience joy. This mindset robs you of the ability to be fully present in good moments.
To thrive, you need to let yourself enjoy life without guilt or paranoia. Happiness isn’t a trick—it’s something you deserve. Instead of bracing for disaster, practice gratitude and remind yourself that you are allowed to experience joy without expecting it to be taken away.
14. Feeling Guilty For Taking Shortcuts
Somewhere along the way, you might have learned that anything worth achieving must come from struggle. If you take the easy way, you feel like you’ve cheated or that your success isn’t “real.” But in reality, taking smart shortcuts isn’t laziness—it’s efficiency. Not everything has to be difficult to be valid.
Thriving means recognizing that you don’t have to suffer to succeed. If there’s a faster, easier, or more effective way to do something, take it. Working smarter doesn’t mean you’re cutting corners—it means you’re valuing your time and energy.
15. Staying In Relationships That Are Past Their Expiration Date
Whether it’s friendships, romantic relationships, or even work environments, many people stay in situations long after they’ve stopped serving them. Maybe it’s out of comfort, fear of change, or guilt. But holding onto something that isn’t good for you only delays the growth that could come from letting go.
Thriving means knowing when to walk away. It means recognizing that just because something was good once doesn’t mean it’s good forever. If a relationship is making you feel drained, stagnant, or unappreciated, it might be time to move on. Growth requires leaving behind what no longer fits.
