In life, people tend to go through plenty of ups and downs. Let’s be real… at some point in your lifetime, you’re going to experience some challenges that rock your world and lead you to question your life as you know it. This article is meant to help you learn from these challenges and use them as an opportunity to grow.
When things are really hard in your life, it can be incredibly difficult to know what to do or how to cope. You might have a setback in your career, love life, or other personal matters. Whatever the case may be, it’s essential to remind yourself to never give up.
There are plenty of ways to move past what you’re going through, including seeking therapy. By learning how to cope with the challenges in life, you’ll develop resiliency and the confidence to manage whatever comes your way.
Keep reading below to find out ways to continue persevering in life, no matter what you’re going through.
Learn to Take a Mindful Break
It can be difficult to accept that something awful has happened to you or a loved one. Whether it’s not getting the promotion you want, losing the love of your life, or receiving bad news, sometimes, things just don’t go according to plan.
No matter what kind of difficulty you’re going through, it’s helpful to take a step back and give yourself time and space to process everything that happened. You can’t expect to continue with your daily routine after going through something major in your life—and that’s okay.
When life has thrown you a curveball, give yourself time to pause and feel what you’re feeling. Take a day or two off work, if you can. Allow yourself space to notice and experience the emotions that you’re feeling.
Take Responsibility for Your Part. Leave the Rest
Sometimes, we can look at a situation and begin to see that we might have contributed to some of what happened. Or maybe most of what happened. Other times, the situation was completely unrelated to us and there’s no way we could have known or prevented it from happening.
If it’s a situation that this is appropriate for, when you’re ready, you can look at the event and ask yourself, “how did I contribute to this?” Be honest about it and remember, this is all about learning and growing.
Then ask yourself, “how did others contribute to this?” Remind yourself not to blame yourself for something that is out of your control. Allow others to take responsibility for their piece of the picture.
Remind Yourself Change Is Constant
Nothing is ever certain in life because it’s constantly changing. It can be hard to get used to this fact and we find this is a common struggle we deal with in therapy. Once a major predicament occurs, such as closing your business, having a health condition, or not getting into the university you wanted, it’s difficult to know what to do next.
Remind yourself that things are ever-changing, ever-flowing, ever-evolving. Accepting this is a great first step to thriving in the face of challenges. The earlier you realize that nothing in the world is permanent, the better you can figure out how to overcome each setback.
Conclusion
Coping with big, stressful events is hard at the best of times, but especially if you’re feeling alone and that those in your life may not get it. That’s why during challenging times, having a solid support system, such as your family and friends, is very helpful.
It will also be best to reach out to a mental health counsellor if you prefer receiving professional advice on what to do when faced with adversities. A psychologist can help you to acquire coping skills, process your feelings and set and achieve goals for moving forward in your life.
Are you looking for counselling services near you? Ward & Associates Psychological Services is a psychological clinic in Sherwood Park that provides in-person and video counselling for individuals and couples all over Alberta. Get in touch with us today to book an online counselling session!