On Finding Strength During Tough Times
At some point in their lives, almost everybody becomes a recipient of a ton of negativity that comes with tough times. We’re not talking having a bad day at work tough, but the intense tough of losing a promotion and facing relationship fallouts and struggling through financial crises.
If you’re at a similar point your life, you are likely familiar with the punch-in-the-gut feeling every minute of the day. Finding your will to get out of bed in the morning becomes a hardship. Add to the atmosphere of uncertainty, fear and economic disruptions we are living through, and finding your strength can seem impossible.
News for you: you definitely can find your strength. It takes changing your perception and being more aware of your attitude.
Let’s get started…
· Express gratitude each day
“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” – Melody Beattie
Let’s face it: even during the most trying times, you can still find gifts. Love, friendship, your own ability to walk, talk and think—there’s so much that you have that somebody out there craves. Between the problems of the present and fear of the future, find your silver linings and be thankful.
· Never give up trying
Finding your way out of tough times means putting yourself through taxing tasks. Whether you’re spending your days applying for a new job or taking time out to make a long-distance relationship work, keep going. You’ll find ease and comfort soon enough.
· Avoid criticizing yourself
Why spend time and energy berating yourself for past mistakes when it won’t change anything?
Whether you did or did not try your best, there’s no use putting yourself through repeated self-criticism. Take responsibility for your actions and work on not repeating your mistakes.
· Celebrate small successes
Right now, it’s more important than ever that you acknowledge and feel happy about every small thing you achieve. If you brought in the bucks to get through the month’s expenses, that’s awesome. If you were able to get through the day talking confidently to everyone, that’s pretty awesome, too!
· Ignore societal ideals
“You’ve been out of college for a month and still don’t have a job?”
“It must be pretty frustrating hosting your nieces. When are they going home?”
“Isn’t it bad for your kids to have both parents working?”
If you rack your brains over these inquiries and intrusions, you’re bound to make yourself even more depressed during your current challenged state. Here’s effective advice: smile, nod, agree and then do whatever you think is right for you.
Your journey to better times starts with your thoughts and actions. If you’re in need of some inspiration, check out Steve Rizzo’s motivational keynotes. The speaker gives stirring presentations on turning challenges into opportunities.