How To Face Tough Times?
Faced with tragedy, difficulties, or tough times? Maybe you've lost a family member, pet, or are in the grips of an addiction. It can feel impossible to think of anything but that which haunts you. But whatever your story is, it's not what defines you. Let's talk about how to find the light and fight your way through those dark days so that you might turn them into something beautiful and worth celebrating.
So many people have tough stories to share and I want this post to be a resource for everyone who needs comfort, solace -– even just someone who knows what they’re going through because they’ve been there too. I also want to offer some practical tips for what to do when things are tough.
We all have had dark times in our lives when we’ve felt powerless, hopeless and unable to get out of the rut we’re in. But as I tell my clients, it is not the events that make up your story but how you react. When life turns upside down, instead of being a victim create your own happily ever after by following these 7 steps.
1) Do Things That Make You Happy
During difficult times it can be very hard to find the motivation or strength you need to take action and move forward. But remember that even one step forward is one step closer to living an amazing life.
So whenever you feel overwhelmed, vulnerable or sad, stop and ask yourself: What can I do right now to make myself feel better? Remember that even small things like taking a warm shower, listening to your favorite song, watching a movie or reading a book can make all the difference in how you feel.
2) Be Grateful For The Good Things
During tough times remember how far you’ve come and how much stronger and better off you are than where you started. Remind yourself of all the things for which you are grateful for. It doesn’t matter whether it’s big or little things. Even small things add up and are part of the bigger picture.
3) Write Down Your Good Thoughts
When you feel sad or overwhelmed, memories can be a big outlet. Remember, no matter how bad life has gotten at one point in your life –- it always has something good to offer. When something bad happens, relive it by writing down your memories and good thoughts about the person who passed away or how difficult things have been so far. It will help you move on and find more positive memories once things settle down.
4) Fill Your Life With Meaning
When things feel like they can’t go on, take a step back and ask yourself, “What is the purpose of my life?” The answers are usually pretty simple and it does not have to be about money or fame. It can be about the journey of your life –- what you learned, who you met and how you grew as a person. Reframe your life from a series of ups and downs to something more meaningful. Give yourself time to process what has happened. If you cannot come up with anything specific, just talk to someone and tell them how difficult it has been for you lately.
5) Make A List of Three Reasons to Keep Going
Write down three reasons that you are going to pick yourself up and keep fighting. Think about those one or two things you would do differently if you could do over again. Think about all the things that have happened or might happen in the future. You can add more as they come to mind during difficult times like this.
When things feel hopeless even though it may be irrational, it can help to think ahead and remember how much better your life will be when all these problems have been solved. Procrastination is one of the biggest obstacles for many people dealing with a big issue, so just take action now and try not to procrastinate this time around.
6) Be Present
Being in the moment is an amazing way to take control of your life during difficult times. It can be hard during these kinds of times but you have to focus on what is right here, right now –- not what happened several years in the past.
7) Remember That You Don't Have To Do It All Alone
You are not alone in every situation and you never have to do life alone. Just like we all share a community filled with love and support -- there is a community of people who care about you, share similar experiences, and are willing to help if they can. Reach out when you need it most.
I hope these ideas will help you during this time of crisis. Feel free to leave any questions or comments below.
Related articles:
How to Have a Complicated Wedding? Be Resourceful! (1)
How To Face Tough Times? Just Ask For Help. (2)
How To Face Tough Times? Talk About It, Share Your Pain With Others. (3)
How To Face Tough Times? Take A Break, Self Care Is Important In Difficult Times (4)
How To Face Tough Times? List 3 Things To Keep You Going When They Feel Like Giving Up. (5)
How To Face Tough Times? Remember How Far You've Come. (6)
How To Face Tough Times? Be Grateful For The Good Things In Life. (7)
How To Face Tough Times? Just Stop, Take A Step Back And Ask Yourself What Is The Purpose Of My Life. (8)
The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun by Gretchen Rubin is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License . Based on a work at http://gretchenrubin.org/the-happiness-project/. All other images via Creative Commons license.
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Tags: author, book, clean, read, to have more fun
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tags: how to be happy, how to deal with death, how to find happiness, how to get happy, powerful tools for living a better life Tags: author, book review To have more fun: seven steps for creating a joy-filled life from The Happiness Project. Recently I read the following article on Huffington Post and found it very useful and inspiring during these difficult times. I hope that you will find some use of the steps presented in this article as well!I started The Happiness Project in January 2009 -- an adventure in pursuit of happiness -- which turned into this book I published two years later.
Conclusion: The Happiness Project
"The happiest are those who can tell their story, for it has a beginning, a middle and an end.
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How To Face Tough Times?