Navigating Through Hardship

Hardships bring about discomfort and unhappiness through difficult or unpleasant situations that arise in our life. We live in a world that is constantly emerging with hardships on an individual and a communal scale. Some circumstances we may experience that are considered hardships can be finance-related, while others might be based on significant life events. The most typical instances of hardship include disease, injury, illness, an alteration in work status, income loss, natural catastrophes, relationship issues, heartbreak, death, bullying, and depression.

The COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, was a major setback for the world as it resulted in the loss of employment, finances, and health for many individuals and families. Whether on a smaller or larger scale, hardships often arise when least expected and affect us in many ways. Whilst it is normal and natural to feel overwhelmed and often upset or angry when these unforeseen circumstances arise, we must find the strength within ourselves to look after our mind, body, emotions, and soul healthily and sustainably while navigating through hardships.

Expect The Unexpected

Preparing yourself to overcome hardships and adversities begins before challenging circumstances even arise. While it may seem that taking control of a challenging circumstance is the best course of action, there are occasions when letting go may help you maintain your mental health. By strengthening your inner resilience and acquiring a growth mentality, you can train your brain to become healthier and stronger when dealing with hardships. It is crucial to figure out what is preventing you from moving forward in life and overcoming these adversities by analyzing your limiting beliefs. You will then be able to have a deeper comprehension of yourself and develop stronger coping mechanisms for when difficulties arise.

To overcome your limiting beliefs, it is crucial to journal often by thinking critically about what it is you would like to improve about yourself. Practicing positive affirmations regularly, meditating, praying, and exercising are great ways to help you combat any limiting beliefs you have about yourself. These practices will assist you to improve your overall well-being and provide you with a sense of newfound confidence in yourself, motivating you to become more resilient and ease your navigation through hardships.

It is normal for us to lose sight of our strengths and focus solely on our weaknesses when times become hard. As a result, we perceive ourselves as losers who are unable to overcome challenging circumstances, however, this is not the case. Every individual has a range of skills and limitations that guide them in life. Thinking about similar circumstances you have encountered in the past and triumphed over might help you deal with the idea that a horrible situation will never end. When you do this, it serves as a reminder of your resilience in the face of adversity. It increases your self-assurance and gets rid of any feeling of powerlessness. This change in perspective is most likely to inspire you to act and help you effectively overcome the circumstance. The goal is to constantly remind yourself of your many strengths. Your self-perception will change and improve because of doing this. Again, this will give you power and confidence that you can manage the circumstance and hardship you are in well.‍

Develop A Positive Outlook

Every human owns a strong, unique, and powerful tool that allows them to steer through life’s experiences by learning, maturing, and adapting. The human mind can achieve many abundant things, one being that any individual can develop a positive and resilient outlook by reprogramming their mind. To begin with, you must pay attention to your inner dialogue by changing your negative thinking patterns into good ones. For example, whenever you think to yourself, “I am unable to achieve this”, change that false belief into, “I can achieve anything I want to, regardless of the circumstance.” Engaging in a small change of thinking pattern such as this can have greater effects on one’s life as when hardships do arise later, the individual would feel prepared and confident enough to handle any adversity.

Taking actions that benefit others such as volunteering or helping, gives individuals a sense of fulfillment and manifests deep happiness within them. This effectively contributes to developing a positive outlook as one is reminded about the greater purpose of life and the essence of selflessness. Also, individuals should remember that love begins within themselves, meaning that cultivating a love for yourself helps you enjoy life’s small pleasures and spread love through actions and habits.

Celebrating your smaller victories is a splendid way to contribute to a more positive outlook as you would be able to keep yourself inspired and upbeat while experiencing all sorts of highs and lows in life. You could also try breaking a difficult task down into smaller and more manageable stages if it seems too strenuous to handle all at once. Even if it may appear that there is no way to solve your issue, you may still create a list, do further research, or ask a trusted friend or loved one for guidance during your times of need.

Even when going through the worst of circumstances, you may be able to find at least one thing to be thankful as well as grateful for. For instance, spend some time with your pet or contemplate your blessings in nature. Recognizing your thanks for even the little things may greatly lift your spirits and provide you with some hope and happiness during hardships.

Pray & Read Religious Scriptures

It is quite normal to become completely engrossed by your current circumstances or overtaken by terrifying world events. However, no matter what circumstance you are going through, you should never let it define who you are or make you feel endlessly helpless. You should focus on your deeper purpose in life and alter your perspective so that you may navigate through your hardships swiftly.

Since life is unpredictable, and we almost have no control over some of the events that occur in our life, we must all put our faith in God. When circumstances seem unstable and unpredictable, God's constant nature may provide us with a solid foundation. Faithfully believing what God says even when your feelings or circumstances lead you to believe otherwise is what it means to trust in Him.

When events and plans do not go our way, prayer may help us understand the broader picture and find solace in God's love. These prayers can be beneficial to you whether you require peace, support, or direction, are anxious, grieving a loss, or are dealing with ambiguity. Even in the face of stress and overwhelming circumstances, faith in God offers consolation and happiness. We can trust God in tough circumstances because of our faith. In times of hardship, turning to God and religious scriptures offers a greater sense of purpose and motivation to overcome our problems and circumstances. It also reminds us that we are not alone, that there is a Higher Power overseeing our life, guiding us to make better decisions and that He will save us from our adversities.

Connect With Others

Often when individuals undergo difficult circumstances, they tend to isolate and withdraw themselves from friends and family. However, despite not feeling like it, individuals who are suffering from hardships should try to communicate with loved ones regularly and participate in social events. Talking to someone who is empathetic, understanding, patient and open-minded has many same positive effects on one's health as it reminds them that they are not alone and that someone is there to help them overcome their struggles. It is important for you to reach out to friends and family with whom you are close through phone calls, video chat, messages, or even social media to talk about your feelings and circumstances, especially during times of adversity.

When experiencing hardships, try avoiding individuals with a negative or pessimistic outlook. Some friends are compassionate, kind, and terrific listeners. Others appear to do nothing except exacerbate your bad feelings, making you feel even more pressured, frightened, or panicked. Avoid anybody who emphasizes on your difficulties or makes you feel judged, and criticized.

Even though connections are essential for maintaining mental health, developing resilience, and getting through difficult circumstances, many of us feel alone in difficult situations. However, there are many methods to expand your social circle and make new acquaintances. For instance, you would probably find it beneficial to take the effort to reach out to those you know who are alone or would like to connect with others. You could also create new friends through social media outlets or events and places that spark your interest such as book clubs or gyms.

Engage In Self-Care

Experiencing difficult circumstances can have a tremendous impact on our bodies and mind. Stress may also have a major negative influence on our immunological and digestive systems, which raises the risk of a heart attack or a stroke. Moreover, stress and anxiety also cause burnout, exhaustion, and emotional, physical as well as mental tiredness. Given the interdependence of the body and mind, spending some time on self-care is crucial for fostering resilience and surviving periods of extreme stress. By taking action to control your overall stress, you may release its grip on your life, elevate your mood, and develop the fortitude you require at this moment to withstand pressure.

When going through hardships, it is important to regularly exercise as it reduces tension in the body and combats the physical effects of stress. Exercise also produces strong endorphins in the brain that boosts one’s mood. This aids in managing weight, relieving stress, improving heart health, and reducing anxiety as well as depression symptoms. Stretching and meditating alongside exercise is beneficial for your overall well-being as it reduces and rebalances the neurological system. Engaging in deep breathing, meditation, and yoga increases flexibility, enhances energy, circulates blood within the body, and improves muscular strength.

Ensuring that you get at least seven to nine hours of sleep, is the easiest way to look after your health in times of hardship. You may frequently get better sleep at night by changing your daily routines and scheduling some downtime to unwind before bed. Getting the right amount of sleep at night allows you to feel more energized, improves your ability to think clearly, helps with recovering any illnesses in the body, reduces stress, and makes you feel happier overall.

Create A New Routine

When hardships emerge, it is a great idea to create a new lifestyle for yourself which will help combat any stress and allows you to better adapt to your current circumstances. You could start by setting small goals to achieve such as making your bed in the morning, going for a thirty-minute walk during the day or opting for healthier meals. Also, creating a plan using calendars and reminders is a helpful way to destress as all your appointments and schedules are laid out in front of you, which means that there is less to worry about. Additionally, tracking your progress by journaling and maintaining a healthy schedule is an amazing strategy to stay updated and on track during tough times. Most importantly, it is crucial to reward yourself regularly in order to give yourself motivation and some happiness in your life, especially when navigating through hardship.

Regarding personal growth, it is often argued that there is no such thing as failure. We often overlook this while we are going through a difficult moment in our lives. We view failure as a sign that we are not on the correct road rather than as a lesson that might help us get there. Most life lessons are learned through making mistakes until we learn from them. The best thing you can do when something is not going the way you want it to; is to attempt to understand why it is occurring and take something positive away from the situation. You will ultimately change things by assessing your experiences, lessons, and past mistakes and then incorporating what you have learned into your current circumstance.

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