(ThyBlackMan.com) Life can be difficult. It’s filled with all kinds of challenges, disasters and incidents that can put a serious strain on our patience and mental health. There’s a common saying that what doesn’t break you only makes you stronger, and while it’s true that experiencing bad situations can build up a resistance to it, it’s not the only way to overcome the burdens and troubles you experience in life.
While it does take mental fortitude and a lot of patience to learn how to overcome bad times in your life, you can speed up the process with some advice and assistance. Everyone, no matter how successful they are in life, will encounter setbacks that could range from debilitating incidents to stressful moments that leave you wondering why you bother getting up in the morning. No matter how depressing the situation is, here are a couple of ways to help you get back on track.
Gain control again
One of the most common reasons that people plummet into stress is because they lose control over something. For instance, if you lose your job, then you essentially lose control over your financial situation and the fear of the unknown is what scares most of us. We might plummet into debt, we might have our possessions taken away, we might have to sell our belongings for money and we might fall into a deep pit of depression.
One of the most effective ways to combat this feeling of the unknown is to take control again. If you lose your job, motivate yourself again by looking for a new one, learning new skills, or by being productive so that your senses and skills don’t dull. The worst thing you can do is remain idle during a depressing or difficult time because it invites a lot of unwanted thoughts and bad memories back into your mind. By keeping yourself distracted and regaining control over the small things in your life, you can essentially erase that doubt and plan your future once again.
It’s common for people who are suffering from a difficult time to slump back into old habits. For instance, you might pick up smoking again, you might start drinking again or you might sleep in bed all day. These habits are not only bad for your health but also your mental state. Sure, we might need a day or two to sleep in bed and recover from either an illness or a depressing time, but if you don’t fix your schedule and focus on beating those habits, you might end up losing a lot of your enthusiasm for life and before you know it, you’ll find it hard to even speak to someone or walk outside of the house.
Don’t allow yourself to pick up bad habits again by sticking to the same schedule you had before your incident. If you lost your job, fill the void by learning new skills and searching for jobs. If you broke up with your partner, then spend extra time with your friends and family instead. Find replacements for the things you used to do and don’t be afraid to look for new alternatives and change your schedule.
Another way to be in control of your life again is to take small steps to become self-sufficient. For example, if you suffered an accident and you’re currently relying on a friend or family member to help you cook meals and clean the house, then take small steps to become self-sufficient again. Try to do your part and clean whatever you can. Perhaps help prep ingredients before they are cooked, or speak with the person caring for you and let them know you want to try and regain some independence. Control can be a powerful feeling, and those who are in control of their lives are less likely to suffer long-term effects during difficult times.
Ask for help
Overcoming a stressful situation is doable alone, but much easier with the help of friends and family members. Whether it’s a shoulder to cry on or an understanding friend to rant to, having a friend will make it easy to cope with a stressful time. Make sure that you don’t bottle up your emotions and try to pick a friend to speak with. If possible, go out with them to have some fun and ease your mind. When you’re struggling with a difficult time, you need to take your mind off the problem and keep yourself distracted.
The reason this works isn’t just because it’s a distraction, however. It also works because humans have evolved as social creatures and we crave interaction with other people. When you’re in a depressed state, it’s typical to feel isolated and alienated from the rest of the world. You’ll feel like everyone is against you, that you’re silently being judged even by the best of your friends, and it’s even worse when you see them living their daily lives that seem free of struggle. But it’s important to remember that everyone goes through difficult times, and it’s likely that your friends and family have encountered similar situations in the past and can offer you some sound advice.
Don’t think of it as being a burden to others either. When someone comes to you for help, you’re probably more than happy to help, so why should others feel any different? If anything, your closest friends and family would be upset that they couldn’t help you earlier. Relationships are important because they’re built on trust and understanding, so whether you’re suffering a debilitating injury or stressed because you lost your job, speak to someone and don’t forget that there are understanding people out there who will do everything that can to help.
But that’s not to say that friends and family are the only sources of help. Perhaps you’re suffering from an alcohol addiction and you’re too ashamed to let people know. That’s why there are anonymous support groups to help you kerb the addiction. Are you suffering from an accident from work? Then attorneys like Sevey, Donahue & Talcott will help you seek justice, compensation and more for your troubles. A helping hand can be the light at the end of the tunnel that we all need, so don’t neglect the importance of contacting someone for assistance.
Keep yourself occupied
This is a recurring theme in this article that has been briefly explained, but let’s go into more detail. Our minds are only capable of processing a limited amount of information at one time. Think about being in a room full of people; can you listen to everyone’s individual conversation and process all of that detail, or can you only focus on a couple of conversations at a time? Even if you could listen to several conversations at once, do you have the ability to memorise everything that’s being said or will you eventually forget once the conversation is over?
Our brains work in a similar way. If we focus too much on a single problem or task, then our minds will be completely focused on that and ignore everything else. This is why it’s important to keep yourself distracted and forget about the difficult times you’re having. If you are suffering a leg injury, then try not to use it as an excuse too often and stop focusing on it as a limitation. Yes, it’s understandable you can’t go outside as often as you like or dance around, but instead of focusing on what you can’t do, focus on what you can do.
For instance, you could think about doing something productive on the computer like learning a new skill, indulging in old hobbies or maybe watching an informative lecture. If you lost your job, then a great way to distract yourself is to do a spot of travelling if you’ve saved up money, or contemplate a career change if you want a new path in life. You have to think of it as one door closing and another one opening. Opportunities will always come to you, but you have to be willing to grasp those opportunities and take advantage of a situation in order to benefit from it. If you focus too much on what’s holding you back or keeping you down, then you’ll never grow stronger and overcome that problem.
As you might expect, it’s also a good idea to keep yourself distracted with fun. Positive vibes are a fantastic way to take your mind off troublesome things, and smiling is beneficial to you as well. By smiling, you release endorphins into your system which are responsible for making you feel happy. Even forcing a smile is effective because it’s the movement of your facial muscles that stimulate the production of the chemical. Positivity is a powerful thing, and anything from forcing a smile to reading some corny jokes on the internet can help you stay in a positive frame of mind for the challenges in your life.
Hopefully, these tips and examples will help get you back on your feet. It can be difficult trying to bounce back on your own and reinvigorate yourself, but there is always help out there to give you a hand.
Staff Writer; Craig Hall