5 Ways to Flourish in Tough Times

It’s a fact that we all go through hard times. One thing that all human beings have in common is challenges. They happen to everyone at different moments and for various lengths of time. Although challenges are sometimes daunting, they don’t have to be. Hard times can be an opportunity to emerge from the ashes as a new being, someone better than before, and with a new vision. You don’t have to just survive; you can thrive, even with challenges.

Here are five ways you can flourish when times get tough.

1. Focus on Things You Have Control Over

Adding worry to worry is a recipe for disaster. When complicated situations come up, it’s a good idea to take a moment to determine what you can control and what you can’t. Then, tell yourself to let go of what you can’t. This simple exercise can make a huge difference in how you see the whole panorama. For example, a thing you have no control over is other people’s decisions. No matter how much they influence your current situation and how hard you try, you can’t change what others choose. Don’t waste your time or energy. Spend it on rebuilding, overcoming, and being grateful.

2. Find a Solution

When you have identified which things you have control over, you can try to find the solution. Of course, some situations have more accessible solutions than others, but generally, they all have one. For example, if you are worried about the future and do not know how you can afford to get an education, you have to realize that you do have control over yourself to look for options. By actively searching for a solution, for example, applying for scholarships or student loans, you are opening yourself up to solutions and possibilities.

3. Keep the Right Perspective

Remember that this is not your first time dealing with a challenging situation. You have overcome tough times before, and you will do it again. You are bigger than your problems. Take a moment to look back at a particularly tricky time in your life, and you will see that you were able to deal successfully with it.

4. Learn To Accept

Acceptance is one of the most essential parts of flourishing when times get tough. It’s okay not to feel okay, and it’s better to accept that you’re not okay than to resist it. Accepting your situation for what it is means that you refuse to add more tension to an already tense situation.

In short, don’t focus your energy on denying what is happening because you will come out exhausted. Instead, it’s better to focus your energy on accepting the situation as a part of life and becoming determined to make it through.

5. Learn From It

Last but not least, learn. Life is a great training ground; hard days are just obstacles that will help you learn, grow, and get closer to your objectives. Everything in life can teach you a lesson, no matter how hard it was or whether or not you triumphed or failed. Nothing is an absolute failure if you are willing to learn from it. Life is a conglomerate of experiences.

If you’re not willing to learn from your mistakes and hard times, then life will be a long string of bad days and bad luck. Looking for the lesson and then applying it the next time is vital to flourishing.

Live Your Life

Comparing life to a roller coaster is not far off. Life has ups and downs, curves and switchbacks, and most of the time, you can’t know what is coming next. However, there is something you should never forget: life doesn’t happen to you, it happens for you. When time gets tough, the outcome depends on only one thing: you, your attitude and the way you handle the situation. So, if you fall, don’t stay down. Get up and flourish!

About the Author: Carol Evenson is a loving mother of three, an aspiring writer, and a social activist. She enjoys educating and learning and loves sharing her knowledge with her family and friends.

Photo by Pedro Sanz on Unsplash

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