There are times in life when the going becomes so tough that it feels like the end of your story.
Everywhere you look, you see darkness.
There is neither a sense of clarity nor a hope for relief. We have all been through times like these, haven’t we?
In those difficult periods, it might seem like there is no getting out. But we eventually overcome the adversities in our path and emerge out of the other end.
You see, challenges are part of our lives. And nothing is going to change that fact. No matter how powerful you are, how rich you are, or how intelligent you are, challenges will arise in your life.
And you have no option but to face them head-on.
So, instead of getting scared or demotivated by your predicament, it’s better to learn ways that will help you deal with them.
Below, we talk about some of the most practical ways of dealing with adversities and moving ahead with your life.
1) Change Your Perception
I think a lot of people now realize that problems and hurdles are required to make you the best version of yourself.
Imagine a life where you didn’t have to face any adversity. On the surface, it might look ideal.
But if you dive deeper, you will realize that such a life won’t build character, and you probably won’t achieve much.
So, it’s better to change your perspective about adversities and see them as stepping stones to success. That way, you will actually be eager to face them!
2) Remind Yourself of Past Victories
A wise person once said, “Even the darkest night gives way to dawn.”
We have all experienced this first hand, haven’t we? We have all gone through seemingly insurmountable challenges and emerged out of the other end.
And yet, each time a new adversity surfaces, we completely forget about the above truth. It is this that makes the going tougher than it needs to be.
Therefore, when you are faced with a tough situation, simply remind yourself of your past victories. That will give you some perspective and motivation to keep going on.
3) Write A Journal
Many people have a habit of writing about their life events or their thoughts and emotions in a journal.
For some, it is a nightly practice, and for others, it’s a part of their morning routine. This act of putting pen to paper is actually a very effective method of making sense of any situation. A lot of people swear that writing in a journal often leads to deep insights into how they can solve their problems.
So, it’s a good idea to write about your problems in your diary. Who knows, you might discover cool new ways of solving them!
4) Ask For Help
Many people have a tendency of dealing with everything on their own. For some reason, they just can’t ask other people for help. If you happen to be in the same boat, you are doing it all wrong.
When faced with troubles, it is completely okay to ask for assistance.
I mean, wouldn’t you be ready to help out a loved one?
You would probably go out of your way to lighten their situation, wouldn’t you? So, what makes you think that your loved ones wouldn’t be there for you?
Reach out, and talk to them about your situation.
5) Look For Opportunities
Every adversity comes with an opportunity. Or so they say. I think it’s wise to look deeper into any problem you face and ask yourself what it is really about.
Dissect it to its fundamentals and look at it in a strictly logical manner.
More often than not, you will stumble upon a hidden opportunity. A fight with your spouse, for instance, could be a chance to rekindle your relationship or go on a trip together! It might be a chance to make your bond stronger.
6) Give Yourself Time To Process
When a challenge suddenly shows up, you might feel like the ground has disappeared from underneath your feet.
Obviously, in times like these, you are bound to feel confused, terrified, perplexed, and a whole host of other emotions.
This is completely normal.
In fact, you shouldn’t suppress your feelings. In times like these, you should give yourself time to process the events. Give yourself time. Time can help to heal…..
Once you have gathered yourself, you can then try and find solutions.
If you need to take a break from your regular routine, that’s completely okay!
7) Invest In Yourself
This point is about preparing yourself before an adversity event shows up.
The idea is to invest in yourself and increase your skillset to such a high level that dealing with adversities becomes easier.
For example, if you educate yourself about a new industry and develop the skillsets required in that industry, you will become much more employable.
So, if you lose your current job, you will be able to look for a job in two different industries, thereby increasing your chances of being successful.
8) Exercise Daily
This might seem like an odd piece of advice on the surface.
But trust me, it will actually make you more capable of dealing with adversities.
Exercising daily boosts your self-confidence and enhances your energy levels.
If you think about it, those are the key ingredients in your fight against any problem. You need a lot of confidence and you need a lot of energy. exercising builds your confidence and energy.
I think that’s why some of the most successful people on the planet exercise daily.
9) Spend Time In Nature
Sometimes, solutions present themselves to you, not when you are in a state of stress but when you are completely relaxed.
Have you ever experienced this? I am sure you have!
Psychologists say that this happens because interacting with nature improves the functioning of your brain. By changing your usual environment, you can assess your problems with a different mindset…. it also helps you feel more grounded.….
So, it’s a good idea to unplug once in a while and spend some time in nature. You could visit your local park or take a weekend getaway to a beach or a mountain.
10) Copy Other People’s Solutions
When you are faced with a problem, it’s highly likely that someone else has already faced it and found a solution.
So, instead of going through the trouble of handling the problem from scratch, it might be a good idea to apply someone else’s solution.
You could ask your family members, friends, and colleagues if they have had a similar experience and what they did to come out of it.
Or, you could use the internet and take notes from the collective wisdom of human beings! 🙂
11) Be Positive
I know this sounds like a cliched saying, but it’s actually really important to stay positive. You see, we humans have something called the “Negative Bias.”
We are all hardwired to focus on threats.
This nature of ours is due to the evolutionary process that we have been on for millions of years.
So, whenever an adversity presents itself, we leave everything and become focused on it.
And we dwell on it so much that it becomes much larger than it really is. Therefore, it is vital to be positive. Focus on the light at the end of the tunnel instead of the darkness that you think you are surrounded by.
12) Learn To Let Go
There are some challenges that you can face head-on and do something about.
But then, there are some problems that you can’t do anything about.
For example, if your romantic partner decides to leave you for good, there isn’t anything you can do about it.
Sure, you might have tried to convince them to stay, but if they have made up their mind, you can’t do anything.
In times like these, it’s better to let it go, no matter how hard it is.
13) Get Inspired
Sometimes, all you need is a little bit of inspiration to fill you with energy and determination.
Even if you are about to give up, this renewed inspiration can make you get back up and face your problems.
Now, the question is, how do you get inspired?
Well, that entirely depends on you. Does watching videos of successful people inspire you? Does reading motivational articles make you feel inspired? What is it that gives you that necessary boost? Figure that out, and just do it!
14) Be Disciplined
I can’t stress enough how important discipline is in life in general.
And when it comes to dealing with challenges, it becomes even more relevant. Discipline will keep you going forward even when you want to quit.
It is the single most effective quality to deal with difficult times.
If you are wondering what that looks like, well, study the lives of soldiers. Learn about how they keep going in the midst of a war. That should open up your eyes to the significance of this must-have quality.
15) Don’t Give Up
Sometimes, all you need to do is not give up.
Elon Musk once said that no matter how little your progress is, over a period of time, it will amount to something big.
That’s such a simple yet eye-opening observation.
If a particular challenge is so tough that you can’t solve it immediately, then you just need to have faith and keep going forward one day at a time.
Sometimes, it will feel pointless to continue. But trust that you are bigger than your challenges.
And sooner or later, you will tame that beast!
