Everything is going well, but why do I still feel restless?

You’ve actually got it right. There are always some minor points for improvement or annoyances, but in general your life is going well and there are few problems.

You have every reason to be satisfied with how things are going now. Yet you feel restless. You have the feeling that you are not doing what you should be doing, or you don’t really know what the restless feeling means.

More people than you think will recognize this restless feeling. It can be difficult to talk about this or to do something about it, because everything is going pretty well after all. But if you don’t do anything about it, it can turn into worrying and / or stress. Not so healthy. Below I will explain how that restless feeling can arise and what you can do about it.

What are causes of restless feelings?

Again, we assume that you have no major problems and that everything is in order in your life. Restless feelings can then be seen as luxury problems, but in the meantime it eats away at you. It makes you tense or gives you stress. Maybe not always bad, but it can have a major influence on your thoughts and what you do. It can even lead to impulsive decisions that seem to fix everything, but actually make things worse.

Know that you are not alone. There are a number of causes that can cause this restless feeling. Insight helps to deal with it differently.

Causes of restless feelings when everything is going quite well:

1. You have the feeling that more is expected of you than is currently coming out
Sometimes everything goes nice and well and it feels too easy. You grew up with the idea that you have to work hard and that things take effort. Now things are going well and quite easily and you have the idea that this is not allowed.

2. You have to get your period
A bit of an open door, but one that is often forgotten when you suffer from it. In the pre-menstrual phase you may feel a bit nauseous. Rebellious, restless. For no apparent reason.

3. Your body is not getting enough good nutrients
This cause is often not mentioned, but nutrition has a major impact on your well-being. Not only is the influence great on your physical health, but also on your mental health. Poor nutrition (lots of sugar, little nutritional value) often makes you feel worse. Only in the short term can it give you a good feeling. Healthy food with a lot of nutritional value will make you feel better. Maybe not immediately if you eat an apple, but if you eat a largely healthy diet for a few days, you will soon experience the difference.

In addition, it is known that vitamin D can cause fatigue in the event of a deficiency, but also a feeling of ‘not feeling well’.

4. You actually find life boring now, you lack excitement
You have a nice partner, a nice home, nice work. Your days are filled, but much of the same. Some people just miss the feeling of tension. Search for more unpredictability.

5. The feeling that things could be even better
It all feels good, but isn’t that other man or woman more fun as a partner? You shouldn’t even look for another job, because others do too. Isn’t it better to buy a house in France? Actually you can’t really see what you have now, but you’re always searching.

6. Restlessness from disappointment
There is no reason to, but the feeling actually overtakes you: is this all? You had the idea that everything would have more impact, that you would be more important, that everything would be bigger. And now it’s just normal.

7. You’re short on time
Everything is going well, but you always feel like you’re busy and that you don’t have much time for yourself. Or that you can never really take the time for anything, because then a child has to be picked up from school, a meeting starts, the sports lesson calls or the dog has to be walked. It can also be related to overstimulation. There is hardly any rest.

8. Addictions keep you under control
Real addictions are of course a problem anyway. We’re not talking about that now. These are small, so-called harmless addictions, which also give a feeling of unrest. Such as always wanting to check social media, playing online games, wanting to exercise or taking so many steps, not being able to do without coffee, and so on.

9. Perfectionistic behavior
If you want to do everything perfectly, you often set too high standards for yourself, but often also for those around you. Your expectations can become a bit unrealistic and the bar is set too high. While everything is actually going well, you still see reason to improve something even more.

10. You look too much at others
Actually, everything is going very well, but it seems that other people have it better. Social media can play a major role, but the stories over the coffee table with colleagues can also evoke this feeling. You feel that you don’t do enough fun towards others. Or that you look less nice. Or that they have a nicer job. You can’t put things into perspective that they only show one side of themselves.

What cause or causes of unrest do you recognize in yourself?

By gaining more insight into the cause of your restless feelings, you also get more tools to do something about it. We also give tips below on what you can do about those restless feelings.

Maybe you also find this article interesting to read?
Out of nowhere suddenly restless and nervous feelings

Tips against restless feelings for which there is actually no reason

1 Take care of yourself

You will immediately notice that you feel better about yourself if you take good care of yourself. And by that I mean in particular, providing good nutrients every day, getting enough sleep and exercising regularly. The open air is also important for your well-being. It is a wonderful thing that food, exercise, fresh air and sleep have such an impact on your mental health. Give it a try, if you know there is still room for improvement. Is the basics good, but are you still feeling unsettled feelings that you can’t place? Then consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement. It does no harm and many people feel better when vitamin D is supplemented. If you don’t notice anything after a few weeks, then you have to look elsewhere. Below you will find more tips.

2 Set lower standards for yourself

Do you feel restless from an urge for perfection? Or do you just want to do fun things during the weekend so that you can talk about it over coffee with colleagues on Monday morning?

Whatever it is, you can also think: good is good enough. I do what I can and what suits me, but I’m not going to do all things to impress others.

3 Decide what feeling you do want and how you can get it

Often you want to do something (different) or have something in your possession, because you think it will make you feel different. But usually the focus is on doing and having and not on the feeling you desire. Because if you analyze that feeling, you might be able to solve it very differently. Suppose you find your life a bit boring and it really comes from yourself (so it doesn’t come from a comparison with others), then you can think of what you can do to make your current daily life more challenging. For example, seek more connection with your partner and see where your hidden desires lie.

Misunderstood feelings associated with unrest are often about an urge for freedom, an urge for more adventure, or an urge for more peace. While you are basically satisfied. This is often not easy to solve 1,2,3. Certainly not with short splurges or buying behavior. It helps to talk about it and analyze your real wishes. Always ask yourself why you think that and why you want that. Isn’t the real unrest in other wishes, such as spending more time with the family or relatives?

4 Ask yourself these questions if you feel unsettled

1. Is this feeling justified or not? Does this come from me or is it fueled by what I think other people think of me?
2. Is there anything I can do right now to make this restless feeling less? Or better: What do I need right now?
   Think of taking a break, stopping certain behaviors or certain people, what to eat, and so on?
3. What can I do today that will make me feel happy and what is good for me?

5 Banish the troublemakers

Certain situations or people can make you very restless. Maybe you haven’t even figured it out yet. Is it starting to gnaw to meet someone? Then ask if this is still necessary. Do you dread your own birthday because of the stress? Why not celebrate on a small scale by going out to dinner? Does social media give you anxiety? Or certain people on social media? Stop it or unfollow them. Do you enjoy your work, but are certain questions or situations making you restless? Request a conversation and see if there is a solution for this.

6 Accept and deal with it differently

Some things are as they are and go as they go. Life is not grand and compelling for most people. Happiness is often really in small things and being satisfied. Acceptance also often has to do with self-love. If you can’t let go of your thoughts properly, you will remain restless. If you’re too preoccupied with what other people think of you, it’s good to do a little more on your self-confidence.

Know that you can park restless feelings. It takes some training, but will pay off in a big way. You can talk to yourself that those unserving thoughts have been enough and that you are now looking again at what is going well. What are you thankful for? Can you be thankful for all the beautiful moments in a day, no matter how small they are?

Finally

Life isn’t all fun all the time. Even the greatest artist or footballer who seems to have a dream life has to work hard, has insecurities, has to do boring chores, has to suffer, and so on. Recognize that unrest for no reason is often fueled by a kind of ideal picture. Does that really exist? Isn’t it too much looking through rose colored glasses? What can you do within the existing circumstances to make your life more fun? Small changes can have a big positive impact. Learning to think differently also helps to leave your restless feelings behind you faster and to learn to be more satisfied.

Would you like to have a say about causes and solutions for restless feelings? Leave your comment below!

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Jenny

Together with Vanessa I am the owner of this website Good food Healthy living. I myself struggled with my health and weight for a while and I was looking for more information. Actually, this website started as a great search for what could be right for me. How could I feel healthier and fitter? I’ve been reading a lot about this. Vanessa already knew a lot about nutrition and often told me about it. We thought it was fun to share, that’s why we started this blog. This website is our passion. All information is supplementary, not a replacement for regular medicine!