When The Going Gets Tough

Simple Tips to Getting Through Challenges

Happy new week dear friend! While going over my list of to-dos this weekend, I came to think about how some things have been a challenge for me this year, but I still keep working on them. This week, I want to share a few insights into how I have been able to stay on top of these challenges.

We all know life is a journey filled with ups and downs and while the good times fill our hearts with joy, the tough times can often feel overwhelming, be it personal challenges, professional setbacks, or unexpected life events, it's important to remember that resilience is key.

I for one have felt that sometimes these challenges seem never ending, but I’ve learnt a few tricks to be able to navigate through them. So here are a few of the ways that have helped me.

Embracing My Challenges

Like many of you, my first reaction whenever I face a challenge is to avoid it but my experience has taught me that facing challenges head-on allows me to grow. By acknowledging the difficulty and accepting it as part of life, I am able to see different aspects and begin to tackle the problem with a clearer mind. So, as hard as it might be try opening up to whatever challenge you are facing and see how many ways you can tackle it.

Breaking It Down

The second is acknowledging how insurmountable big problems can feel however, they’re often made up of smaller, more manageable tasks. So breaking down the challenge into smaller steps, and tackling each one individually has been huge for me. This approach has not only made situations more manageable but also helped me see progress, which I can admit has many times boosted my confidence.

Staying Positive

This is a hard one but a positive mindset can be your greatest asset during tough times. Focusing on what I can control and finding small victories in my day-to-day life has been an immense help as well. There’ve been times when it felt like there was nothing to be positive about but I’ve had to force myself to appreciate the good things in my life such as great health, a loving partner and family and a many other things we might take for granted. I’ve used positive affirmations, gratitude journals, or simply taking a moment to breathe to help shift my mindset from one of despair to one of hope.

Practicing Self-Care

During tough times, it’s easy to neglect your own needs. However, maintaining our physical, mental, and emotional health is crucial. There’ve been several times I’ve been forced to stop and take care of myself and after such times I have just learnt to listen to my body better. Ensuring that I am getting enough rest, eating well, and taking time to relax is now a priority on my list. Also, I now set time aside weekly to engage in activities that bring me joy, like getting lost in a good book, taking long walks, or spending time with my loved ones.

Learning from the Experience as I move forward

You are probably familiar with the saying everything happens for a reason, well I believe every challenge brings with it a lesson. Another way I have been able to face these is by using my alone time especially on my long walks to reflect on what this experience is teaching me. Perhaps it’s resilience, patience, or the importance of asking for help whatever the lesson is I know I can get something from it.

So zooming out of the challenge to see what the lesson is helps me be able to embrace whatever challenge I am dealt at a particular time. And as I move on I remind myself that tough times don’t last forever. I often train myself to think more of the outcome I desire and keep my eye on the goal and possibilities it holds. Even if progress is slow, I keep moving forward because every step I take is a step closer to overcoming the challenge.

So as we start a new week I would like to encourage you to be more open-minded and curious about whatever challenge you are facing right now because as the famous Earl Nightingale once said with the right attitude you can be successful or find a way to it, in any situation you find yourself in. I would love to hear about how you handle challenges so kindly share these in the comments.

Have a great week!

Love & Light

Sheila Daisy