Have you ever been in such a difficult situation that you've not known what to do or where to turn?
Sometimes life can present us with these situations that really test us on every level, causing us to find within ourselves everything we have in order to overcome them.
So just how can you best find these ways, these inner resources within us in us in order to rise up and overcome any challenges your faced with. Having recently overcome such a challenging time I'd like to share my insights with you in hope they may benefit any of you facing a challenging time.
1.) Look for lessons - In every experience their are always lessons to take from it and this is where we can grow and improve them. The thing is to really look for them, no matter what it is we're going through. When we do this our life can be our greatest teacher and guide. Showing us areas in which we can grow and become better. Every lesson can be a blessing
2.) Reflect - A helpful way to find lessons no matter what is happening for you is to have a reflective practice, this is a way of always looking at what happens and learning from it. Keeping a daily journal is one way of doing this, specifically when used for this purpose and for your own personal growth. There are also specific reflective practices you can use, such as the Gibbs reflective cycle.
3.) Focus on the positives In addition to having lessons every challenge also has positive, it could just be the thing that you are learning from the experience but it can also be many other things, for example losing much of your belongings can help you to realise the value in the more simple things, and to value these far more. Those simple things we can so often forget when we are busy chasing the next item and accumulating more belongings. Loss in many ways can make us realise the true values in life, as well as open up new ways forward.
4.) Look for what's new Every challenge opens up new ways forward, as all challenges are represented in some form of change, the challenge often comes from how we are resisting that change. If however we look for new possibilities and opportunities instead, we will surely find them and open up those new ways forward. This then allows us to direct our energy on to what is new and to begin moving towards that rather than wasting vital energy on fighting or resisting change.
5.) Let go Every process in moving forward requires us to let go of whatever was there before. Taking the lessons learnt and letting go of the rest allows for progress and continual flowing movement forwards.
All of the above I have personally found really helpful in moving through and overcoming life challenges, most of all throughout it all what's important is to be easy on yourself. Life can at times be very difficult, It can also equally be very easy and beautiful, allow yourself to simply ride the waves you are presented with.
As Bruce Lee stated; 'Be like water making it's way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it.'