No life, no matter how perfect, will be without a few dark clouds on the horizon. Accidents and misfortune are as much a part of life as moments of joy and exhilaration, and we can’t – and shouldn’t – want to wish them away.
Learning to cope with life’s storms is a valuable skill. Image licensed via Creative Commons.
For however challenging they may seem at the time, they have plenty to teach us about ourselves. Trials not only make us stronger and teach a range of vital life skills from emotional resilience to clear thinking, but they also make us realise how fortunate we truly are and give us a new perspective on life. But when the storm hits, how do you weather it out and make sure you take the silver lining those clouds have to offer?
Remember Who You Are
When you’re becoming submerged in panic, and you’re really not sure where to turn, take a minute to breathe. Assessing the situation and taking stock of your options is essential to avoid making knee-jerk reactions that may not be in your best interests. Understand that time is a great healer, and you will get through this – even if it doesn’t seem that way at the time. Remind yourself of your great qualities and think about similar situations you’ve been a part of in the past, and how you coped then. Try and step outside of the situation by imagining it happened to a friend – what advice would you give to them? If anxiety is getting the better of you, try downloading a mindfulness app to teach yourself to process worry and unhelpful negative thoughts.
Get Practical Support
Whatever situation you have to deal with, things are always much easier to handle when you access the right support. So track down a local specialist who can help you. Whether it’s looking for counselling services online or finding Robinette Law’s car accident lawyers, someone with a cool, detached perspective is vital to make sure you have the right tools to deal with the crisis and can make the best of a tough situation.
Step Away From Social Media
Social media can tend to amplify our emotions, and that can generate added stress you simply don’t need in a time of crisis. After all, when you are focused on a problem it’s bound to taint everything – if you’re getting a divorce or have been on a disastrous date, your Instagram feed is almost guaranteed to be filled with sickly coupley shots, if you have money worries it will be peppered with expensive designer goods. Sometimes social media holds up a mirror to our deepest desires. Log out for a while or limit your screen time to allow yourself space to breathe and figure out what you really want.
Learn To Say No
You need to focus to cope with a crisis- your time and energy need to be spent on dealing with your emotions, making plans to move forward and other arrangements. Agreeing to requests from other people needs to be put on hold until the situation has started to resolve itself. Learn how to say no politely and leave it there – no apologies, no backtracking. It’s okay to keep your time for dealing with your own challenges, so be strict with yourself and others for your own sake.