Let’s face it. Sometimes, life just stinks. Bad things happen. Unbelievable things happen. People hurt other people, jobs are lost and relationships are broken. People die, financial troubles come and important things are forgotten. Sometimes life just seems like too much to handle. We’ve all been there.
There is hope. We can overcome. We can get through it and we will. It won’t be easy and we might need to adjust some core thought patterns, but we can do it.
Here are a few ways to overcome those hard times in your life, especially when you feel there is no way around the obstacles in front of you.
1. It Won’t Always Be This Way
This was my mantra. This statement helped me get through my hard times. I used to fear change, I hated change. Then I realized change is a part of everyday life. We can’t stop change so we have to accept it and embrace it. It also reminded me that because things won’t always be this way, it will get better eventually. If you are going through a really hard time, just remember it does get better.
2. Learn from It
They say that struggling today often gives you strength for tomorrow. I believe this statement is now true but during my struggles I often asked “Why me?” “Why is this happening?” or “What did I do to deserve this?” As those thoughts and questions came, I had to truthfully analyze my part in my own life, and in my past situations. I realized I used to blame my bad luck on everyone else. I used to believe I was a victim. It wasn’t my fault. I realized no one is perfect; we can never be all things to all people and I had many areas where I needed to make adjustments. It is never easy to identify and recognize your own faults, but once you are aware of them, you are able to change for the better and learn from the struggles you are facing.
3. Ask for Help
After being self-sufficient for so long and then faced with struggles, I finally did ask certain people for help and they helped me. Sometimes asking for help is the courageous thing—as long as your heart is humble and your motive is pure. I struggle with perfectionism so it is hard for me to ask for help. Once I was able to do that and see the kindness in other people it encouraged me to move forward.
4. Find a Strong Support Group
A support group can be friends; it can be family members. It can be co-workers or anyone that supports you in improving your life for the better. During my struggles I found a support group that truly helped get me through some of my harder times. It is so much harder to do life with no one around to help you get through it. I used to isolate because I felt unwanted, believed that I wasn’t worth spending time with or that no one cared to listen to what I was going through. Those were lies. Eliminate the negative relationships in your life that bring you down. It is very important to maintain relationships and friendships with people that have your back, that will be there for you no matter how hard life gets. Nurture those positive relationships and never let them go.
5. Laugh
Laughter might be one of the most instant mood lifters outside of having strong and encouraging relationships. A good friend can cheer you up; a hilarious comedy can remind you of how important laughter is. Sometimes we do need to remember the care-free aspects of our childhood, go have a little fun, and just laugh.
6. Love
Take a chance on love. Again. Even if you have been hurt many times before, do not give up . We do have to take a chance on love. There are no guarantees in life and that needs to be realized. Expectations need to be forgotten. Relationships end even with the best intentions. Think about it: if we give up on love completely, who wins? The last person that hurt you? Hate? Negativity? Love certainly doesn’t win. Be open and willing for anything and see what the universe brings you.
Be patient and just believe everything will be alright