The 6 Steps for Enduring Adversity

  1. Express Self-Compassion

    We all experience difficult times at some point in our lives. That’s a normal part of living. What
    we all don’t do is have empathy for ourselves when we are in distress. Do you ever feel like it’s
    so easy to practice compassion for others but difficult to do so for yourself? This is fairly natural
    as we tend to be hard on ourselves.
    If you want to overcome adversity faster, the best place to start is by being more self-
    compassionate. In doing so, you will improve your emotional wellbeing and give yourself the
    confidence to rise up and keep moving forward. You also need to learn how to forgive yourself.
    No good comes from beating yourself up over an event or situation. No matter what it is, let it
    go.
    Try creating a daily mindfulness practice, like deep breathing, meditation, or yoga. This will help
    you navigate stressful times with a clearer mind. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help, and if you
    need to take a break, do it. Honor yourself, knowing that you have everything that you need
    inside of you to weather any storm.

  2. Master your Emotions

    The way in which you respond to a challenge determines your ability to overcome that challenge.Where people get into trouble is that they allow external circumstances to dictate their moods.They react to things, instead of considering the situation and taking deliberate and appropriateaction. If you don’t master your emotions, your emotions will master you.

    The best way to become the master of your emotions is to start experiencing your emotions on a physical level. Be aware of them. Happiness, anger, sadness, and a whole host of other emotions all play a critical role in your life. Take a step back to see them and how they make you feel before knee-jerk reacting in a detrimental way.

    Notice what happens when you get triggered by something or someone and mentally note what emotions are coming up. Then, get curious about the message that the emotions are offering you.Will you let these emotions control you or will you take control of the situation? Mindful awareness makes all the difference.

    Lastly, do the work to reframe negative emotions and situations. Just because you experience
    negative emotions doesn’t mean that you have to react in ways that are harmful to you or others.
    Mindfulness and naming your emotions is a good way to give your feelings less power.

     

  3.  Use a Sense of Humor

    Finding humor in the face of adversity can be extremely healing for the mind, body, and soul.
    It’s not about discrediting your pain. Rather, it’s about pulling upon positive emotions when you
    need them most. I know this challenge can seem insurmountable, but brining forth a laugh or
    smile causes a chemical reaction in your body improving your mood. It can be psychologically
    liberating to help ameliorate any circumstance.

    Studies show that in the face of adversity, going through life with a positive attitude helps you
    become more flexible in your thinking and resolution of problems

    Humor and laughter play key roles in the healing process. It doesn’t take the pain away
    completely, but it’s a great coping mechanism. Anything that lightens your mood and inspires
    hope during the midst of chaos is a welcomed relief.

  4. Remain Optimistic

    When bad things happen, it’s easy to be negative and fall into the unhelpful cycle of “why me?”
    This mindset is highly unproductive as you wallow in misery instead of doing something to
    improve your situation.

    Conversely, people who remain optimistic, even in the toughest of times, naturally bounce back
    faster. They take positive action to brighten their mood and effect change to improve their
    circumstances. Optimism is a powerful tool in overcoming adversity.

     

    Research shows that optimists develop more positive ways of explaining disappointing events,
    and they are often able to reframe them.

    You may be surprised by how much calmer you feel in the face of adversity when you choose to
    find strength and joy during the darkest of times.
     

  5. Believe in Yourself

    None of my previous pieces of advice will matter if you don’t have an unwavering belief in
    yourself. You must reinforce self-confidence in your ability to overcome adversity. It’s the
    essential the key to bouncing back from anything.

    Sure, the process can seem daunting as you try to recover, but you must always realize in your
    heart that achieving a positive outcome is all about the effort and the attitude. You have been
    successful in the past and you will be so again. Whatever the adversity is, it’s merely something
    that happened. It does not define you. So, get back on that horse and ride again.

    The key is to learn how to recognize when your self-talk is working against you and quickly
    reframe it. Instead of saying to yourself “I can’t”, replace it with “I will.” Trust yourself and
    know that there is nothing that you can’t handle.

  6. Exercise a Growth Mindset

    The mindset that you adopt towards challenges will determine your level of resilience when
    overcoming adversity. People who are able to overcome challenges with grace possess a growth mindset. They choose the mindset of a champion. They don’t believe that their intelligence or situation is fixed. Instead, they embrace challenges, persist in the face of setbacks, see effort as the path to mastery, and learn from feedback.

    Adversity of any kind can be very difficult to overcome. Nobody wants to experience hardships
    in life. However, if you never experienced pain, you would never understand peace. For this
    reason, overcoming adversity is critical to your personal growth and development. You always
    have a choice of how you will react to low points in life. You can either give up or view
    adversity as an opportunity for growth.
    The next time that you encounter adversity, remember that these are merely opportunities for you to grow and improve. Fostering a growth mindset will empower you to find hope in the direst of circumstances. It will give you the faith to know that there is nothing that you can’t handle.