Everyone struggles with adversity at one time or another. Without the struggles how would we know or recognize the true joys in this life. The real challenge is keeping a clear perspective when we are facing the adversity and not letting it overwhelm you. Here are a few things you can do to help you overcome any challenges you may be facing and become better, stronger and more resilient than ever before!

Defining Adversity and How It Takes Its Toll

• Definition of adversity: When a hardship, unexpected event or life transition occurs, and we are left to pick up the pieces of our life and readjust to the next chapter.
• Negativity is everywhere, from TV to gossipy co-workers. We can’t always avoid it, but it can be monitored and manipulated.
• Adversity is something we all deal with; it can take a toll on our confidence, belief in ourselves, our careers, our relationships, and our happiness.

Focus on the Goal (Not the Hardship)

• Make positivity a habit – “Dig the well before you need the water.” Putting positive thoughts in your brain on a constant basis will help fight against the negative feelings when any challenge comes your way. Whether you listen to positive music, uplifting pod-cast, read a positive book or watch a funny show or movie – this must be done daily.
• Keep your goals in front of you at all times. Let your “why” motivate you through any tough problem you may be facing today.
• Make it a mission for yourself to overcome adversity, conquer it and become a mentor or role model for everyone else facing hardship. How can you use what you are going through or have gone through to help someone else.
• Focus on the good it has brought you: perhaps it brought you closer to family for support, caring friends, an opportunity to seek out resources and think outside of the box, a chance to start over single with no one to worry about but yourself, greater willpower and resilience, etc.

Make a List of Your Accomplishments (and Read It Daily)

• Everything Passes—Including the Tough Stuff

• You may have heard the saying, “This too shall pass.” Avoid thinking this hardship is etched in stone or it will last forever - it’s not, and it will pass.
• Focus on your future—everything you have the ability to accomplish, the things you want to see, the people you want to meet, the career you want to have.
• Here’s an affirmation to use: “In every adversity lies the seed of a greater accomplishment.” When the lesson from this challenge has been learned, the hardship will pass, and greater things are in store. I can’t wait to see what wonderful things will happen!”

Go with Your Gut (It’s rarely wrong)

• Don’t overthink this challenge – what is your immediate gut reaction to how to fix it, now what is the worst that could happen? If you can’t die from it, it most likely isn’t as bad as you think.
• Go through the motions of this challenging time, and listen to yourself (forget everyone else).
• What feels right to you as you go about your day, and what doesn’t feel right? Are you taking steps to improve your attitude, or are you surrounding yourself with people who pull you down?

Laugh about Something Every Day

• Life is way too short for us to take ourselves too seriously – Laughter is the best medicine.
• Laugh at least once a day, and you’ll take away some of the seriousness of your situation—laugh multiple times in a day, and you’ll heal quickly from the emotional pain.
• Pull out old photos from when you were young and crazy (and laugh at your hair or those crazy clothes you wore from two decades ago!).
• Go through old journals, and see patterns of evolution and positive change that took place and will continue to take place.
• Give thanks for all you’ve learned up to this point and all you will continue to learn—including right now in this very moment.
• Count your blessings, name them one by one.

A Few Last Thoughts …

As you learn how to laugh about the harder moments of life and beat those negative thoughts to a pulp with powerful, positive thoughts, you will find that getting through the rough patches will take less and less effort or struggle. As you do, your life will continue to grow and you will become everything God has created you to be!

Say to yourself: I can and will overcome this challenge and my life will be better than it has ever been when this has passed!

Overcoming Adversity