Overwhelmed? Turn Your Challenges into Growth

Does it feel like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders?

Life can be cruel at times; how do you react when it seems like all the world’s problems have suddenly landed on your shoulders?

The other day I was talking to a friend who is going through an incredibly rough time - we are talking multiple issues in relation to family, relationships and in different parts of the world. She can either bury her head in the sand, fall into a deep depression and be of no use to anyone, even herself, or she can deal with it one day at a time.

Thankfully, she is a practical lady and is taking it in her stride. Surprisingly, she is optimistic that the lessons she learns from these experiences will help her in the future. As cheesy as it is, It’s like the Kelly Clarkson song “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger”.

Are You Growing?

I truly believe uncomfortable situations teach you a lot about yourself and improve your resilience. It is during these situations that growth occurs. When you’re in the thick of it, it can feel overwhelming, but once the event has passed, you should take time to reflect on what happened. Why did it happen? How did you react and how did you handle it?

Are You Missing a Trick?

If you never revisit what happened or reflect on how you handled it, you are missing a trick. It’s like running an event and then not evaluating it. You don’t know how you can make the next one better because you don’t know what was good or bad.

When you acknowledge that you handled a situation well, this can really boost your self confidence and self esteem. When you are feeling good about yourself, you will feel that more things are possible for you.

Having a positive mindset is crucial when you’re feeling stuck. It will allow you to see more possibilities, things you hadn’t noticed or thought possible. It will also create the energy for you to take action.

What Can You Learn From A Recent Difficult Situation?

Take a few minutes to reflect on a difficult, uncomfortable experience you had. What happened? How did you handle it? What did you do well? What didn’t you do well and what would you do differently? Acknowledging that you could handle it differently is growth in itself. You have learnt that you can act differently.

If you find self reflection difficult, you cannot see any positives in the situation, having an outsider, someone neutral, can be really helpful.

If you feel stuck and want to change how you react to and deal with situations, I invite you to book a Discovery Call.