In life sometimes it’s impossible to avoid conflict, problems, and failure. Compounded with emotional turmoil, or life’s little hiccups, the issues can seem like massive mountains smack in the middle of our road to success. Even at it’s worst, these hardships can be used to forge the very character of our being, and bring success and the lives we want to live that much closer.
That being said, sometimes we need a quicker tool to gain traction and get in motion. Here are 6 useful, and more importantly, quick ways to turn our difficulties in life into something far more empowering.
1. “What is my hand in this?”
Take a unflinching look at your actions, or inactions and see how you could have prevented the current situation from ever arising. For example, Running out of gas in the middle of an unforeseen traffic jam may seem completely out of our control, but if we neglected to get gas because we were in a hurry, or wanted to spend our money on coffee instead, then the blame truly lies on us and our doings
2. “Every lesson has a cost.”
Sometimes we make impulse purchases or decisions. We allow ourselves to be talked into buying the knife set we don’t need, or the appliance insurance that’s never warranted. If these “mistakes” however, lead us to a greater understanding of our own unique decision making habits, then we might be saving ourselves countless dollars, and hours in the future. That is, if we chose to learn from our foibles, and correct our own behavior for ourselves.
3. “Can I use this to help someone else?”
The greatest gift we can offer the world is our honest voice and human experience. Pain, and suffering are all but impossible to avoid and the very best way we can use these experiences is to better the world and the lives of those who are in it. Abuse and trauma are horrific, but you can almost be certain somewhere, someone in the world is experiencing almost exactly the same situation we are. How can we reach out and help them in their time of need? How can we offer comfort and solace by being a good friend or sounding board to those who still hurt? If the ills of the world offer us one benefit, it is that we may all gain a closer connection through times of hardship and tragedy.
4. Make the solution the most important part.
Sometimes events happen, and there is just no way we can sugar coat the situation to be a little easier to swallow. Sometimes our mantra has to be, “when the going gets tough, get tougher.” We all, as humans, make mistakes. When these mistakes are bad enough, or have gained enough mass, they can become all but unbeatable. Those are the moments when we have to face up to the facts and make real, honest, and life-enhancing decisions for our best interest and the best interest of our loved ones. Thankfully, there are millions of organizations and people who can assist us in the tough moments. Go to a group, go to a church, go to family, quit drinking, quit hurting, and get help. It’s in these moments we must make the promises to ourselves and our loved ones to be better.
5. “Imagine someone else is in your shoes.”
What great advice would you give to someone whom you loved after they’d made poor life choices, or faced a time of hardship? Write this advice down and follow it yourself. The biggest promises we make are not to others, but to ourselves to becomes the incredible people we deserve to be. Your incredible life is out there, but only you can build it for yourself.
6. “Look on the bright side!”
Difficulty and dilemma can sometimes bring us right into the lap of success. Whether it be meeting the love of our life, stumbling across a great new experience, or finally arriving at a place of truly positive change. Serendipity may be just around the bend. The problems you face today may literally be the steps to your next great idea! Don’t be afraid to use your hardships in life to push you further and ahead of the pack. As the adage goes, Thomas Edison tried thousands of time before he built his now famous lightbulb, and it wouldn’t have been possible had he not made those thousands of mistakes on his way!
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