Life will never be simple, with only pleasurable chapters in it. How you respond to problems and life challenges matters a lot. If you approach hardships with the growth mindset, you will see challenges as opportunities to grow further and learn something new. You will build your resilience and grow stronger than ever from every setback. In this post, we explore how to deal with challenges using these tips.

Thoughts vs Emotions

Our thoughts and feelings are stories we tell ourselves. These stories create a narrative in our minds that we judge as good or bad. And then, emotions appear.

Have you ever worried about an event or occurrence that never happened in the end, but you spent days being anxious about these negative potential outcomes? You worried yourself sick just by thinking of potential scenarios.

Once, I had a dream that upset me, and I cried in that dream. When I woke up, I felt the same emotions and started crying for real. How crazy is that? It never happened, only in my head, but it caused a real upset in me.

Our First Reactions to Stress

The way we react to problems and challenges is deeply influenced by our past experiences and traumas. A seemingly mild situation can trigger a real emotional turmoil in some, solely due to the different background from which this person originates.

And, of course, the more we confront and handle a trigger, the better equipped we become at managing it.

Our fears, whether rooted in the past or future, determine how we react to a situation. 

We live in crazy times when the appropriate responses to stress, such as crying, running or shaking off tension, are not always socially accepted, for example at work. When stressed, our bodies prepare for action – when there’s a stress trigger – back in the early human days it was a tiger. Our biology still sees dangers as this tiger, threatening our lives.

We react to stress by sweating and racing hearts–it’s because we were supposed to be running from the tiger by now. Muscles tense up, preparing for action. The breathing rate increases, allowing more oxygen to enter and be delivered to the muscles. Digestion pauses, redirecting all that energy for use elsewhere.

Instead of running to burn off the stress hormones, we let them accumulate in our bodies. After the stress, there should be movement, but very often this release doesn’t happen, allowing stress hormones to linger in our bodies. After the run, there is the phase of rest. The cycle is closed. The threat dissipates, and the stress is metabolised.

How Resilience is Key

Resilience is your ability to bounce back from adversity, adapt to challenges, and maintain psychological well-being in the face of stress and hardship. It involves cultivating a mindset that allows you to navigate difficulties, setbacks, and uncertainties without being overwhelmed.

Resilience is not a fixed trait but can be developed and strengthened over time through various strategies and practices. Adopting the growth mindset/link is one.

To build resilience, you can focus on developing coping mechanisms, cultivating a positive mindset, and fostering a strong support system. Embracing challenges as opportunities for growth, maintaining a sense of purpose, and practising self-care and positive self-talk are essential components of resilience-building.

Developing problem-solving skills, emotional regulation, and effective communication also contribute to your ability to withstand and overcome adversity.
In everyday life, resilience plays a crucial role in helping you navigate the inevitable ups and downs. It provides a foundation for facing challenges head-on, allowing for a more constructive response to stressors. Resilient individuals tend to view setbacks as temporary and are more likely to persevere in the face of obstacles.

When Challenges Arise

Most situations in life are, however, not life-threatening. These are hardships, challenges, and problems of the modern era and the systems we have in place in society.

You can face one struggle or many at the same time, adding insult to injury.

Examples of such challenges are:

None of these are easy, but they need to be dealt with head-on. Since much depends on your approach, let’s explore how to deal with life challenges in the best way possible by shifting how we confront these problems.

Dealing With Challenges – Practical Tips

Don’t Compare Yourself To Others

Your situation is uniquely yours, and your emotions and feelings are valid. The only person you should compare yourself to is the person you were in the past. Focus on your progress. Sometimes, friends may share things intending to provide perspective, but can be harmful, like saying “Some people have it worse”. Avoid comparing yourself to those who have more as well. It might make you feel inadequate, and it’s crucial to remember that everyone is on their own path in life, and no two paths are identical.

Practise Gratitude

Sometimes, in moments of adversity, recognising what we do have is very soothing. We can always try to identify and count our blessings, like having a roof over our heads, access to running water, and the ability to eat every day this week. Try to find joy in the little things and be grateful for what you have. This not only improves your mood and but additionally invites the universe to bring more positivity into your life.

Adopt The Growth Mindset

Make lifelong learning and the growth mindset your life’s objective. Each setback teaches you something new, and you eagerly welcome challenges. When you face a problem or lack of ability, you don’t throw in a towel, but you ask confidently: “How can I learn to do that?” Your resilience turns every situation into an opportunity to enhance your strengths.

Work on Your Emergency Fund

Emergency fund is like a safety pillow you fall back on in times of financial adversity. Learn more about personal finance and aim to have 3-6 months’ worth of expenses saved in your account at all times. You will sleep soundly knowing that in case of sudden car repair, loss of a job, and other financial surprises, you will be just fine.

Consider Your Current Physical State

When something negative happens and you have a strong reaction, first consider what physical state you’re in. Are you hungry, tired or stressed? If yes, wait it out. Eat something first, sleep on it, and observe your mood shift. Try not to make any serious decisions in the times of prolonged stress, exhaustion, or even before or during your period. For some women, hormones can significantly influence how they feel, see, and interpret events. I know that suddenly, 5 days before my period, I may experience an identity crisis; everything seems hopeless, and I’ve never felt lonelier and more abandoned… and it all goes away just a few days later.

Practise Radical Acceptance

Give yourself time and don’t judge yourself for negativity. Accept every single thing you feel. Even negative thoughts are a loving message from your brain. Practise radical acceptance and acknowledge the progress you are making, even if it doesn’t go up in the straight line. If you slip, that’s okay. Tomorrow you’ll continue head-on as if nothing happened!

Meditate

It’s one of those things that helps you in the moment you’re doing it but also way later. It’s truly a great time investment. Practising mindfulness and meditation techniques helps you stay present and reduce stress. Mindfulness allows you to respond to negative situations with self-awareness, emotional regulation and a sense of calm. These practices can help you respond to negativity with calmness and clarity, especially over time if you maintain a habit of doing it regularly.

Sleep On It

As mentioned earlier, when we’re tired, our response to negativity can backfire on us. Most situations are not as pressing and can be slept on first. Our first response is usually emotional, and that’s okay. However, when we sleep, our subconscious mind works on resolving things for us, and you might wake up with an answer to your situation. Trust the process!

Journal About It

Write freely to lay all your feelings on the paper. You can keep the history of what you felt, what was the trigger, and how you solved it to see your patterns with time and see the situations from the time perspective when the emotions settle.

Exercise

Vigorous exercise in the times of stress is also very beneficial as it burns the stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. During exercise, we get more oxygen, and a well-oxygenated brain and muscles work much better, allowing us to see things more clearly.

Have A Good Social Support System

Developing a strong support network and seeking therapy can also enhance emotional regulation, allowing you to widen your window of tolerance and better manage challenging situations.

Ask For Help

Sometimes, it’s the most difficult thing to do because we’ve been taught in childhood that doing something on your own is brave and smart. Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness. It comes to us so easily when we’re little children (as crying and fussing is essentially asking for help), but in adulthood, somehow it’s seen as the last resort. Accepting help when someone offers is another difficulty to some and might need a little improvement.

Look For Positives

Potentially negative events can be a catalyst for something positive. It’s hard to consciously think about it as we live through a challenge, but I’d like you to trust yourself and your path. When something bad happens, try to find what good this situation introduces into your life.

Trust The Process

Trust the process, knowing that good things are already being worked on for you because life happens for you, not to you. Once, I wanted to visit a shop that turned out to be closed, so I made a trip for nothing. But while I was looking for alternatives, I found an even better shop, and now it’s my favourite. You never know what’s around the corner.

Surrender Or Take Action

Some situations cause deep emotions in us that are supposed to get us in motion. Don’t dwell or ruminate – instead, do one of those two things. Firstly, it might be the case that all you need to do at this moment is nothing. Simply surrender to the moment, let yourself feel the emotions; that might be all the solution that you need. Secondly, take action to improve the situation if a plausible solution comes to mind. Try to focus on these two and don’t allow yourself to enter the negative spiral of emotions.

Be Your Own Best Friend

During therapy, I learned that negative thoughts will always come. However, I have the power to prevent the negative spiral of emotions. Every time I had a bad thought, I tried to challenge it with a contrasting, positive one or I told myself something nice. Be your own best friend with these phrases: “It’s tough”, “I’m here for you”, “I love you”, “You’re doing really well”. The negative thoughts just need to be acknowledged and then let go of.

Change Your Emotions Through Your Body

Anxiety is just energy dwelling in your body, and you can release it and change how you feel by using your body. You can go for a run, meditate, go under a cold shower or do something that will ground you in the moment. Cold exposure triggers the diving reflex, a set of physiological responses that include a decrease in heart rate and redirection of blood flow to vital organs. This can induce a calming effect on the nervous system, potentially helping to reduce anxiety. It’s also been linked to release of endorphins.

Conclusion

Life’s journey is a tapestry of challenges, both expected and unforeseen. The key lies in how to deal with challenges in life is how we approach and overcome them. Embracing a growth mindset transforms setbacks into stepping stones for personal development, fostering resilience in the face of adversity.

Resilience, a nurtured quality, proves vital. It involves developing coping mechanisms, maintaining a positive mindset, and building a robust support system. Practical tips, like avoiding comparisons, practising gratitude, and adopting a growth mindset, serve as powerful tools. Trusting the process, finding positives in negatives, and knowing when to act or surrender guide us through life’s complexities.

Remember, you have the strength to be your own best friend, navigating challenges with self-compassion. These strategies not only help endure challenges but empower you to thrive amidst them.

What are your ways to deal with challenges in life?

Share your comments below!

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Check my YouTube for meditations:

Rise and Thrive on YouTube