Sometimes life just sucks, doesn’t it? Adversity blindsides us and then goes on to suck us into a seemingly bottomless hole with no way out. We feel down and lost, completely out of control and plain old helpless. We can’t even remember what it was like to feel good, and we convince ourselves that this is our new reality, or even worse, our underlying true reality which has finally been unmasked. We become totally consumed by feeling sorry for ourselves and our own sense of injustice to the point that we struggle to empathise with or even truly care about others.
We’ve got news for you…it’s not all doom and gloom. Whilst we can’t quite control adversity, we can control how we choose to view it. Although it doesn’t make it go away, it can alleviate the pain just a little. And a little is worth a lot when you’re feeling super down. Here are five things to keep in mind the next time you are going through a difficult time.
1. You are not unique
Adversity is universal. In fact, it’s one of the only certainties of life…that we will ALL experience the throws of life in one form or another. You just need to start asking those around you to share their stories of hardship and you’ll realise it’s true.
2. It will pass
Don’t believe us? Do a stock-take on all the times in your life that you yourself have experienced hardship and come out the other end. Need more convincing? Here are 16 wildly successful people who have overcome huge adversity in the past. Pretty motivating, huh?
3. It will lead to positive change
As hard as it is to accept right now, you will in fact emerge stronger and perhaps even happier than you ever imagined. There’s even a whole field of research dedicated to it. They call it ‘post-traumatic growth’ and it explains the phenomenon of positive change following our struggle with a highly stressful life event. From the discovery of new opportunities in our life, to enhanced interpersonal relationships, to an increased inner strength and even a greater innate appreciation of life, there are many domains that psychologists are now proving that these changes occur.
4. There are strategies that you can use to help
Meditation and mindfulness are two of them. Therapy is a third. There are online courses, face-to-face seminars, and one-on-one options available. And they do help to re-wire your brain to get you out of the hole. Let us know if you need any links.
5. It takes time
Unfortunately, it’s a process and it all takes time. It’s important to be compassionate with yourself and remain patient along the way.
Please remember as always that we are around to have a chat about how to apply meditation and mindfulness to your particular life’s challenge so don’t hesitate to give us a call or shoot us an email to set up a time.
