Let’s be open and honest with each other..
Someday’s life can just feel like it’s all too much to deal with, right?
We are expected to balance a whole number of different challenges daily; workplace stress, time pressures, personal problems, money worries, unexpected tragedies – no one is exempt to problems.
Changes in health, a loss of a loved one, a betrayal, some life-changing news. It can hit anyone at any time, suddenly.
A lot of us are balancing on a thin thread each day already, with daily routines running down to the minute. Then life throws something devastating at us, something that’s hard to understand, tough to deal with, and we question how we are going to move past it.
It doesn’t matter how strong you thought you were, how confident you are each day, how positively you think, and how well you deal with those minor problem that crop up each day. When you are hit by something truly devastating it can change how you think about the past, present, and the future.
If you are going through some tough times right now and feel powerless, believe me when I say this – you’re not.
Sure, it’s going to be hard to work through your problems. But you and I both know it will be worth it, and there is no other option.
Here are 5 steps to help you find direction and bounce back from adversity.
Improve Your Outlook by Improving Yourself
There are no guarantees in life. You may have heard that saying before, and although you can twist the words to mean many things, there are no guarantees that you’ll always be as comfortable as you are right now.
But we can make a promise to ourselves that we will learn from our mistakes, pains, and discomforts. By learning from our experiences we become stronger, and facing each and every challenge after will be a lot easier.
Some of the most painful and devastating things in my life have been springboards for my largest jumps in personal growth. Make the promise to yourself today that you will learn and grow from this day forward. Don’t let problems hold you back from growing as a person and improving your life.
It takes you to dig deep inside yourself and decide that you’re not going to let circumstances out of your control, control you.
Live by an Empowering Philosophy
There are endless philosophies, and many are thrown around without people actually considering what they mean.
I’m sure you have heard this one, “Don’t expect anything, and you won’t be disappointed”.
Personally I hear people say this from time-to-time, and I always cringe. I mean, what’s wrong with being disappointed? Disappointment is a feeling, and like many feelings it needs to be harnessed and used appropriately.
Disappointment can be used to help us grow. We can use the feeling we experienced when we were disappointed to motivate us to do better. So instead of being disappointed and stopping there, how could you find a different outcome next time?
Experiencing disappointment as a child is an important part of us growing into adults, and being able to handle our emotions. We can’t get knocked down and stay there. We need to know how to rebuff disappointing news and move forward.
Start expecting the best from situations, and do everything in your power to experience the best. And should you be faced with disappointment, it’s fine. Take that negative emotion and turn it in to motivation.
Begin Each Day on a Positive Note
Without having a positive reason to get out of bed, some people struggle to get up and get motivated.
Feeling like you can’t, or don’t want to get out of bed is a common trait of depression. Sometimes people are not completely aware that they are slipping into depression. It can take a moment of self-realization to face up to it.
Everyone has a desire strong enough to get them motivated in the morning. For some people it’s just being able to recognize it. Maybe it’s family members needing you, friends, loved ones, study, work, there are a number of things you ‘should’ be working on.
Take every disappointment, challenge, and knock-back as motivation to jump up in the morning and face the day with a positive attitude. Famous and successful entrepreneurs and leaders have been documented as asking themselves a question every morning, or reciting some positive words.
Napoleon Hill had a good idea in this bestselling book ‘Think and Grow Rich’, he recommended writing a positive statement on a piece of paper. Each night before bed and first thing in the morning read this statement, remind yourself why you are doing what you do.
Don’t be afraid to change your mind
Being stuck in your ways in a bad thing, especially to the point of being stubborn. When questioned why they do certain things, a lot of people don’t have a good answer. Or maybe they will say something like ‘I have always done it like this’.
Having an open mind and a free-thinking attitude is one of the most liberating feelings there is. If you’ve never stopped and considered changing your mind about something, now is the time to start.
Whatever has happened in the past, is in the past. To move forward, and forgive and forget, you‘ll need to change your mind and maybe you opinion on something. If you have been stuck on something that happened, and can’t move forward – it will only get worse.
It’s never too late change your mind about something, old or new. You have the power to turn your dreams into a reality, and a desire to fulfillment.
Sometimes there is a driving force to change the way you think. An event or a reaction to a sudden change in your life, this is the push some people need. There is nothing wrong with this, but embrace the change and make the best of it.
Sometimes it’s on you to decide to change. To look for a better way to think, and start practicing it daily. You can replace your thought process, and when you experience greater happiness and health the change will come naturally.
Deal with the Ups and Downs of Daily Life
No one is immune to the up’s and down’s of everyday life. It can hit us in a multitude of ways, it’s how we deal with it that counts. Those who can turn disappointment into opportunity are the ones who succeed.
If you feel like things are getting on top of you, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Friends and family are there to lean on in times of need. I’m sure they would do the same back. Just remember to thank them anyway you can after.
Think about meditating and mind relaxing techniques too. There are a lot of ways we can work on ourselves to become more in tune and focused with the goals in hand. Dealing with our daily problems becomes a lot easier when you’re relaxed, and able to focus.
No one should tell you that it’s easy to bounce back from adversity. But by taking these 5 steps and using them in any way you can, you’ll find it a lot easier.
We all have our own problems, and we all deal with them a lot differently. Take your time with improving your outlook on life, and changing the way you think about things. You need to work on your mind, body and soul separately and collectively.
If you know someone who is going through a tough time of their own right now, reach out to them. See if there is something you can do to help them, think how you would feel if it were you.
Phil lives in England, UK, and has around 20 years experience as a professional life, career and executive coach. He started this blog to help others find and define their own self development journey. Blogging about a wide range of topics to help facilitate a better future.