Life is a series of ups and downs, peaks and valleys, winning and losing. There are moments when all seems right in your world and times when it feels like the cards of life are staked against you.
It’s during the difficult times where we each could use more support and guidance. Improving your ability to navigate the difficult times will not only help you have a more joyous life, but it will also benefit you as you grow into the fullness that God has created you to live in.
Here are 7 practical things you can do to make getting through difficult times easier:
2) Realize How Far You’ve Come – We often get so focused on what lies ahead, our next milestone, our next level of success, that we forget that sometimes we need to pause and look back to see how far we have already traveled. Pause! Give yourself credit for all that you have accomplished today, this week, last month, etc. You have already made so much progress, acknowledge and celebrate that your wins! What is your why? Why are you wanting to start a business or why did you start your business? When life is hard go back to your why and let that motivate you to keep moving forward.
3) Be Thankful – There are times I wake up and feel beat down by life and unmotivated. The antidote for this is to write down 3 things I’m thankful for. I know life can be difficult, but there is always something we can be thankful for and an attitude of gratitude will change your mood quickly. Don’t let your difficult times speak so loudly that it makes you believe that you have a difficult life. Your better is coming…give thanks!
4) Forgive – If someone else is at fault for the hard situation that you find yourself in, our natural response is to hold resentment or anger towards the individual. But what would happen if you forgave that person. I’m not saying that you pretend that nothing happened, but instead choosing to not focus on the negative feelings you have toward that person.
In my own life, I’ve learned that when I focus all my thoughts on how upset I am with an individual who “got me into this mess,” it just makes me more miserable.
Or maybe the difficult time you find yourself in is a result of something that you did. We all have been there, and I know that I can beat myself up pretty good about my mistakes. Again, that only makes things worse, and entering the spiral of anger, frustration and self-doubt is recipe for disaster.
5) Focus on What’s in Your Control – Some things are beyond your control and no matter what steps you take; you can’t change a thing! Frustration is bound to come when you focus your energy and time on things that are beyond your control.
Instead focus on what is within your control. Make a list of what you actually have control over in the situation and focus your energy on those things. If it’s not on your list, then it doesn’t get your attention.
6) Help Someone Else – This might seem counterintuitive, but it’s true that when I help someone else it gets my mind off of my problems and even boosts my motivation level.
like-minded people who are on the same journey and get plugged in.
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