Life throws us curve balls. Some of them we see coming while others either sneak-up on us or completely blindside us. However it comes about, the truth is that sometimes life puts us in a situations where we just have to cope.
Like all of us, I’ve had my fair share of periods in my life where I’ve had to put on my badge of resilience and somehow get on with it.
It may be the job that is doing your head in that you can’t leave just yet, the workload that is piling up with no end in site, the relationship that you relied on that has completely crumbled, or the need to support someone else, or yourself through declining health.
We’ll all face difficult periods of our lives where there is no immediate ‘exit strategy’ and we’ve just to get on with getting on.
When the pressure comes on, here are 6 things to try that might help you feel just a little more resilient, and give you the extra energy you need to take care of business.
- Take Regular Breaks to Revive
If you are faced with a difficult situation that is draining, or an exhausting work environment, do your best to take regular scheduled breaks. Take short walks and soak up the fresh air, or brew yourself a cup of tea when you recognize you’re starting to become overwhelmed. Also make sure you are prioritizing getting enough sleep, as pressure always feels even more overpowering when you’re also tired.
- Acknowledge Your Strengths
If you’re dealing with heartbreak, a difficult work situation or your to-do list looks impossibly long, all too often you can slip into forgetting your capability. Your confidence can take a knock. To help counteract that make a long list of all of your strengths and achievements. If you need an extra boost, it can also help to ask those close to you what your strengths are.
- Up Your Commitment to Self-Care
When the pressure is on, there are significantly more drains on your well-being tank. Simple math suggests that in order to counteract the extra withdrawals, you need to put more in. Write an extensive self-care list and focus on doing a couple of things each day that will help lift your spirits. You can read more about how to do that in the post: How to Find the Time to Take Care of Yourself.
- Decide to Have a Growth Mindset
Rather than focusing on the difficulties you are facing, focus on what the experience can teach you. If you’re going through a break-up for example, perhaps it is an opportunity for you to learn how to set healthy boundaries and truly love yourself? If you are dealing with a health crisis or supporting someone else through one, perhaps it is highlighting to you the things that really matter in life. Make a conscious decision that you are going to look for the lessons.
- Recognize What You Can & Can’t Control
When we are facing difficult or trying situations, there are typically many things we cannot control. It may be the behavior of another or the amount of work piling up. But look specifically for the things you can control or change, and plan accordingly. If you can control nothing more than how you react to a situation; that is still something. If you have an extensive workload, make a solid plan about how and when things will be done. Or if you’re in a romantic relationship that continues to be exhausting and depleting, have the courage to ask yourself if it is time to move on.
- Practice Gratitude
I have never found gratitude to be more useful than when I was going through some of my hardest times. It is like a balm for the pain. When the pressure is on, up your commitment to gratitude. Make a concerted effort to look for all the good things in your life. When things feel incredibly low, you’ll be surprised at how many things both big and small you can find to be thankful for. By making it a commitment to look for them daily, you will keep yourself more focused on what really matters.
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Hi. I’m Kate Snowise. I’m a Life & Executive Coach who helps people who want the good stuff out of life, get it. I believe life is about more than surviving and it being good enough. Each of us truly has the ability to thrive and live a beautiful, aligned life where we remember and connect with our authentic power. I have an MSc in Psychology (the positive kind that concentrates on what is right with you). I teach people how to reconnect with themselves and their spirits through my signature coaching program The Thriving Life Project. To read more about it click here.