It may sound obvious and a cliché, but life really is a journey, and not every chapter or road that we travel is smooth and harmonious. In life, we face different eventualities and barriers that make us question our direction, our purpose, or even our worth. When we are faced with these challenges, it’s important to find ways to navigate and manage our way through the difficulties so that we can continue to move forward with strength and resilience.
Finding your way when things are hard can feel impossible, if not daunting. There are so many different reasons why you may be feeling that you’ve lost your way, for example, struggles with relationships, separation and divorce, bereavement and loss, loss of employment, loss of identity, feelings of emptiness and depression, – the list goes on and these are just a few, but there is light at the end of what may seem like insurmountable darkness. There are strategies that you can use to help ease the burden of feeling lost so you can find your way!
Notice and Acknowledge Your Feelings
It’s natural to feel overwhelmed, sad, angry or frustrated and that’s ok. Your emotions are valid, they are your felt sense and they deserve air. Acknowledging your feelings and giving yourself time and space and permission to ‘really’ feel is the first step towards healing. Suppressing our inner-most feelings can lead to stress and anxiety as well as unresolved trauma that prevents healing and moving forward. Talking to a friend, journaling, being in nature, or working with a therapist can help you to feel and express your emotions in a healthy way.
Problem Solving
Any problem can feel stressful and overwhelming. Utilising problem-solving skills by breaking the problem down into smaller manageable chunks or tasks can help to see things more clearly and the overwhelm seems less daunting. Creating a realistic and manageable “to do list” and dividing the list into three columns or sections can be really helpful as well as motivating – for example:
column 1 | column 2 | column 3 |
“must be done / urgent” | would be good to get done / not urgent” | “amazing if got done / not the end of the world” |
– breaking down a list in this way steers you to tackling one thing at a time and getting in the habit of prioritising what really needs to be done, instead of continually adding to an already overwhelming list!
It's really important to “Add You To The List”
Don’t forget to celebrate your progress and achievement, no matter how big or small, acknowledging personal achievements along the way helps to stay motivated and increases confidence and self-worth.
Check-in With Your Support Network
Know who your support network is so that you don’t have to go through tough times alone. Who do you consider to be your community? The people that you trust for support and guidance. Reach out to your community, for example, that could be friends, family, work colleagues or a support group. Sometimes, just talking about what you’re going through can provide the comfort and relief you need. However, sometimes, we need more than our community can give us, or more than we’re able to or want to share with our community. Professional help from a therapist can be incredibly beneficial. You can speak your truth, your lived experience, your feelings, without fear of judgement or unconscious bias in a safe and confidential space.
Adapt and Accept Change
As we go through life, change happens all around us. So much so, that we hardly even notice until we take time to reflect and notice how things have evolved around us and for us. If we move with change, we are more likely to accept it – we are more open to adapting and moving forward. Once we’re able to acknowledge and accept change, we can look forward to new opportunities and personal growth. Even if the change wasn’t our choice. We cannot choose what happens to us, but we can choose how we react to it.
Be Kind to Yourself and Take One Day at a Time
Try not to put pressure on yourself, take things one day at a time. Know that each day you are doing your best and no two days are the same. One day your best maybe 100% and another day it might be 50%, but each day is still your best! Focus on what is within your control. Anything that is outside of your control, let it go!
Taking care of your mental, physical and emotional health is so important, especially during difficult times. Number 1 priority is ensuring you get enough sleep. Science tells us that a good night’s sleep is the most important aspect for maintaining good mental, physical and emotional health. Along with, healthy nutrition and engaging in regular exercise. Engaging in simple acts of self-care, such as taking a relaxing bath, reading a book, watching a film or spending time in nature, can also help improve your mood and resilience.
Experiencing and getting through hard times is never easy, but by acknowledging your feelings, reaching out for support, and practising self-care, you can find your way. Even though it doesn’t always feel like it, every challenge is an opportunity for growth, a time for reflection and most importantly, a time when you can realise your strength and resilience in ways that you may not have thought possible.
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Take care, and always know that you are doing your best and working towards ‘An Even Better You’!
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