Are you a mom facing difficult times or challenging family situations? You’re not alone. Chances are you’ve faced them before and will face them again. But the way you handle difficult situations can make a big difference.
Many of us make life even more difficult by handling our challenges poorly. This creates additional issues that require time and energy to rectify. How you handle trying times says a lot about you. Character is built and revealed in tough times, not easy ones. In addition, others notice, especially your kids. Will you let these times bring out the worst in you or the best in you?
Get through difficult times wisely with these strategies:
- Remember that you have more options than you realize. Part of what makes challenging times challenging is the belief that you have no options. Feeling powerless isn’t pleasant. Remind yourself that you still have choices. How you choose to handle the trying situation is one of those choices.
2.Pay attention to all of the things that are still good in your life. You may have lost your job, but you still have your health and your family. Maybe you’re getting divorced, but you still have your friends, job, health, and your children.
- What was the best thing that happened to you last year? Who is most important to you? Make a list of at least 20 positive things in your life and then notice how much better you feel. This will help you to relax and cope.
- If you focus on the one thing that isn’t working, you’ll only succeed in making yourself more miserable.
- Look for solutions. Focusing on your difficulty is natural, but ineffective. In fact, it only saps your resources. Decide that you’re going to find a viable solution. It doesn’t have to be the perfect solution. Just a decent solution. Give yourself the time you need to brainstorm, but avoid taking longer than necessary.
- Begin implementing your solution. For example, if you’ve lost your job, your solution might include several steps:
- Update resume.
- Create accounts and profiles on five job boards, such as LinkedIn and Monster.com.
- Contact at least five headhunters in my field of employment.
- Contact everyone I know and let them know that I’m looking for a job.
- Update my social media accounts to show that I’m looking for work.
- Maintain a positive attitude. If you want to handle a challenging time gracefully, check your attitude. You may not feel like smiling or being cheerful with others, but do it anyway. It will make you feel better and let others know that you’re okay. Especially your kids.
- Continue to take care of others in your life. Your family and friends still need you. Don’t crawl into yourself and ignore everyone else in the world. You’ll feel better about yourself if you’re still taking care of the important people in your life.
- Release your anxiety. Stress is not just in your brain but also resides in your body. Continue to get physical exercise and find someone to talk to about your challenges. Keeping everything bottled up only hurts YOU in the long run.
It’s not a matter of whether or not you’ll face difficult times. It’s only a matter of when. Challenging times are inevitable, so learn to deal with them effectively and gracefully.
