Overcoming Life’s Challenges: How to Move Forward When Everything Falls Apart

Life doesn’t always present itself in the most pleasant way. We may face obstacles that seem impossible to overcome. I used to be a nihilist. Believing that the idea that life has no intrinsic meaning, purpose, or value. That the world is nothing more than a collection of matter in motion, and all meaning that we assign to it is an illusion. But life is also about the places it can take you, bouncing back, and having internal fortitude. Not giving in to the thoughts your conscience can tell you.

Image Source: Morgan Rooks

You can still progress and reconstruct your life even when everything appears to be falling apart. To triumph over life’s challenges, you need a combination of tenacity, endurance, and a constructive attitude. You must grasp the methods and tactics that will assist and maintain you in trying times. When life throws you a curveball…with a bit of effort and commitment, you can survive the most difficult times and come out the other side stronger and more knowledgeable.

So, what are some common challenges that we face in life?

Each individual’s journey is different, but there are certain struggles that many of us have to go through. These can range from relationship issues, job uncertainty, money worries, health concerns, and even substance abuse. This is just a glimpse of the kind of challenges people generally come up against. These obstacles are just as essential as big life changes, such as tying the knot, becoming a parent, or retiring. Even if you’ve led a chilled-out existence until now, these issues are still relevant. 

How do I develop an attitude of resilience?

Being able to recover quickly from adversity and hardships is an important trait to have, and fortunately, it’s something that can be cultivated. If you want to develop a resilient attitude, try to become conscious of your current reactions to failure and disappointment. A study revealed that optimists had a better ability to recover from bad experiences, since they tended to interpret such events as temporary, not as a reflection of their self-worth. If you want to make progress in this area, it can be helpful to identify any negative patterns that may be dragging down your attitude. Looking closely at your current feelings about failure can open up possibilities for improving your resilience.

But how do I cope with life’s challenges?

There is no universal answer to conquering life’s obstacles. However, there are strategies that can aid and sustain people while in hardship. These strategies are applicable to everyone, regardless of age or success. A great way to get started is to assemble a “support crew” of individuals who can provide emotional and practical aid during hard times. This network should have those closest to you, such as family, friends, and workmates. Another excellent tip is to find an “anchor” in your life that brings you a sense of equilibrium. Identifying “anchors” that can help to maintain a sense of balance and stability when you are experiencing challenging times. Anchors can take a number of different forms: a particular song on the radio, a particular object in your home, a particular job, or a particular hobby. While anchors do sink, accept that some may keep you in a place of helpfulness. Lastly, putting together a well-being plan is a great concept to tackle mental health or substance abuse issues.

The power of positive thinking.

Studies point to the fact that simply focusing on the good stuff in tricky predicaments can make a huge difference in how people handle it and how they feel about it. Those with a good attitude towards life’s struggles often tap into a sense of gratefulness and resilience. To keep your spirits up when things get tough, take a few moments to reflect on what you’re grateful for. It’s a simple but effective exercise that can have a great impact on your mental and emotional balance.

Using problem-solving skills to overcome obstacles.

Achieving success in tough times requires one to sharpen their problem-solving skills. This can be done in various ways, such as building a “toolkit” of techniques that can be used to tackle any challenge. This toolbox should include techniques like recognizing patterns, breaking down problems into smaller parts, and visualizing potential solutions. Also, it’s important to differentiate “triggers” that can activate problem-solving skills in every life situation, especially in difficult times. For instance, if you’re feeling anxious, try to spot a pattern in the situation and figure out what to do about it.

The importance of taking care of yourself.

It’s key to make sure you’re looking after yourself when you’re going through a tough patch. This can be done in a variety of ways, such as pinpointing those “triggers” we talked about earlier. That can kickstart your self-care tactics. This counts in all aspects of life, but is particularly important during difficult times. For instance, trigger: “If I’m feeling on edge and feel my anxiety is rising, I’ll try to spot a certain pattern in the scenario and figure out how I can take care of myself.” Acknowledge it. Feel it. And let go of what you cannot control.

Finding support and seeking help can be a difficult and sometimes scary process, but it is often the most effective way of overcoming a challenge. Remember, you’re a human.

Reaching out to others to ask for help is not a weakness — and in a society where most people are reluctant to ask for help, asking for it is a sign of strength and confidence. However, fear of asking for help isn’t just fear of not being capable, it’s also fear of being a burden, fear of imposing, and fear of being too needy.

Yet, the debility in requesting help is in not requesting it. Requesting help demonstrates signs of strength, confidence, and resourcefulness. In today’s world, where people anticipate issues to be solved quickly, having people around you who can offer assistance in a variety of situations is highly advantageous. Asking for help is likewise a sign of humanity and it can make you more welcoming in the future; if you are a leader in your organization or community and you step up and ask for help, those close to you will feel more comfortable in approaching you when they need help.

Learning from mistakes and moving forward.

It’s essential that you don’t make a blunder and treat it as a chance to give up. This is an ideal time to reflect. Something plainly turned out badly, and now you have to comprehend what happened, and completely grasp and acknowledge the circumstance you are in. 

Take a break to consider the misstep and ask yourself: 

• What had I wanted to do?
• What went off-base?

It’s essential that you don’t go over the edge by exaggerating the conditions. As an enneagram 4, (thanks, Libby) I tend to feel emotions intensely and can be overwhelmed by my own feelings, but it’s important to remember that they don’t define me. Your identity is not based on how you feel. Emotions, after all, are temporary. Simply observe it as it is and handle it from a problem-solving viewpoint. 

At this point it’s just as helpful to start changing your point of view about the situation and recognize potential open doors that may presently be accessible because of these sudden changes. Ask yourself: 

• How can this mistake be useful?
• What am I thankful for?
• What is the chance here?

Believe in the possibility of your own future success. Allow life to direct you to wherever you will let it. Think of how far it could take you.