When something bad happens in your life how do you react? Do you totally shut down and let it control you? Or do you treat it as a learning experience?
When adversity strikes, it can feel overwhelming. Like you are never going to catch a break. Negative thought starts to creep in. “everything is ruined, why should I even bother”, “it’s all too hard, I won’t be able to achieve anything” Does this resonate with you?
Perhaps you skipped a workout or ate poorly that day and all of a sudden you are throwing in the towel. It’s easy to make excuses “oh I don’t have an hour to work out today, so I won’t do it today” before you know it, you have made that excuse all week, and you then feel defeated.
I think it is really important to remember that no day runs perfectly. There is always some challenge that we have to face. If we continue to make excuses or procrastinate then we will never achieve.
Here are 5 tips to help you overcome adversity...
Stay optimistic: It is so easy to let negative thoughts and “stinkin thinkin” control you. Shifting your mindset and viewing the situation from a positive place, and remaining optimistic can be a great tool.
Don’t take yourself too seriously. It is so important to have a sense of humor and be able to laugh at situations. When your zoom link isn’t working or you spilt that fresh cup of tea you just made. Rather than cursing and feeling doom and gloom, have a laugh at yourself.
Identify the worst outcome: Ask yourself, what is the worst thing that could happen? When you say this out loud and actually acknowledge what is the outcome might be, it takes away its power and often takes the fear out of your head.
What is the lesson: Often challenging times are the biggest time for growth. Much of who you are today is because of how you faced adversity. Don’t look it as a mistake or failure, but a lesson.
Be kind to yourself: Just know that you are not the only one experiencing difficult times, we all are. It’s a part of life. Don’t beat yourself up, practice compassion.