How to Stay Positive During Difficult Times: 14 Helpful Tips

When life adjustments and a troublesome time begins then it’s not at all times straightforward to stay constructive.

I do know.

Even when you’re fairly optimistic and constructive in each day life, it’s straightforward to get dragged down into pessimism and a tragic funk whenever you’re having a tough week or robust month.

However with the ability to hold a constructive mindset could make a giant distinction.

So in at present’s publish I’d wish to share the perfect ideas and habits which have helped me over the previous 10+ years and nonetheless helps me at present to deal with occasions like that in a greater, more healthy and extra useful means.

I really hope you’ll discover one thing useful right here.

1. Really feel what you’re feeling and realize it’s OK to take action.

I’ve discovered that one factor that helps me with my psychological well being when occasions get robust is to not deny or push away how I really feel.

When a adverse scenario has simply occurred and I’m in the midst of it then I at first might really feel afraid, nervous, frightened or offended. Or a mixture of these feelings. That’s regular.

Acknowledging adverse ideas and emotions that may come up from such a scenario helps me to course of what has occurred in a faster and fewer painful means in comparison with if I attempt to reject such ideas and feelings.

And it additionally helps me to, after some time, transfer on to the following stage of attempting to resolve or a minimum of enhance upon the scenario at hand.

So, first realize it’s OK to really feel and suppose what you’re feeling. However don’t get caught in focusing and mulling that over for days or even weeks.

2. Ask useful questions.

A easy subsequent step to maneuver ahead is to ask your self higher questions than chances are you’ll generally do in these conditions (I, a minimum of, actually used to ask myself questions on a regular basis that solely made me really feel worse).

This can assist you to to regain a constructive outlook and discover a constructive interpretation of the occasions.

A few of my favourite questions are for instance:

• What’s one factor that’s constructive or good about this example?
• What’s one alternative inside this example?
• Will this matter 5 years from now? And even 5 months from now?
• What’s one small motion, one small and sensible step I can take to begin turning this example round?

Ask your self one or a number of of those questions to maneuver your self right into a extra optimistic and energetic mind-set and to begin making a small plan for what you are able to do to enhance the scenario you’re in.

3. Speak it over with somebody near you.

This is likely one of the strongest ideas on this publish and one my most used ones.

Simply letting your ideas and emotions out is usually a highly effective factor. It will probably relieve stress and nervousness and all of the internal stress that has constructed up inside.

And it may well assist you to discover a new perspective.

Typically as somebody near you merely listens and as you vent and determine issues out for your self.

And generally as the opposite particular person lets you navigate your scenario and out of adverse considering by sharing what they did after they had comparable troubles or by constructing a small plan along with you for what you might want to do subsequent.

4. Get some good data.

You’ll be able to dispel obscure concern and the clouds of uncertainty and nervousness in your thoughts by doing a little bit of analysis.

By speaking to individuals who have been the place you might be – or studying their books or listening to their podcasts – you can begin to construct a sensible roadmap of what your greatest plan of action is and what you’ll be able to anticipate in your journey.

This readability might generally deliver you new, attainable obstacles in your path ahead that you simply had not thought of. However I’ve discovered that it’s a small worth to pay. And understanding about them makes it so much simpler to beat them or scale back their affect in comparison with if you’re simply stumbling round at nighttime.

5. Faucet into gratitude for a couple of minutes.

Sure, occasions could also be robust proper now. It’s not enjoyable.

However there are normally issues one can nonetheless be pleased about. And tapping into such gratitude tends to be an effective way to vary your perspective and to enhance your power ranges and temper.

A couple of of the issues I are inclined to really feel grateful for even when occasions are laborious are:

• Three meals a day.
• A roof over my head in the course of the windy and wet fall and the chilly winter days.
• Loads of clear water.

You will discover extra of these items on this publish: 10 Simple Things You Can Be Grateful for Even When Times are Tough.

6. Spend much less time in your telephone and adverse sources.

Holding your self up to date on what’s occurring in your group and the world is useful.

However spending an excessive amount of time doomscrolling on-line or – in my expertise a minimum of – in your telephone generally tends to result in extra stress, nervousness and adverse emotions and ideas bouncing round in your head.

So spend a little bit of time – however not an excessive amount of – on the information (and particularly the adverse information tales). And restrict your display screen time, particularly in your telephone.

I’ve discovered that doing this makes me really feel higher and extra optimistic. Particularly when I’m already going by some robust days, weeks or months. Or throughout occasions when it simply appears laborious to remain constructive in a adverse world.

7. Readjust your surroundings to be extra supportive and constructive.

So spending much less time on adverse sources of data helps. Spending extra of the time you may have now freed up from that on constructive and supportive sources helps much more.

Discover books, Youtube channels, podcasts and so forth that uplifts you, lets you really feel higher and offer you concepts for how one can deal with challenges in your life.

Then, take the following step to reshape your each day and month-to-month surroundings to be a extra constructive area. Check out the individuals in your life and the way they have an effect on you.

As a result of the individuals we spend essentially the most time with are inclined to have a reasonably large impact on how we really feel and take into consideration issues and the way resilient we’re throughout hardships.

You’ll be able to for instance ask your self:

• Who’re the three most adverse individuals I spend time with?
• Who’re the three most constructive and supportive individuals I spend time with?

Then take a little bit of time to determine how one can spend much less time with these most adverse individuals and extra of the time you release from that with essentially the most constructive individuals.

8. Spend extra time outdoors and in nature.

I discover that if I simply exit and reduce some grass or do some backyard work I are inclined to really feel higher and refreshed.

And the identical goes for taking a stroll within the woods, by the ocean or wherever out in nature in some kind.

It makes it simpler to suppose clearly and optimistically once more and the recent air and train recharges my power.

9. Assist somebody out.

Maybe a bit counter-intuitive when you’re not feeling so good about your individual life.

However serving to somebody out whenever you your self are going by a tricky time can in my expertise assist so much.

I’ve discovered that it will get me out of my head and away from getting caught in mulling the identical adverse ideas time and again.

And if the scenario I’m going by makes me really feel powerless or like a sufferer then serving to another person out makes me really feel sturdy and succesful once more.

Plus, their happiness from being helped flows over to me too. And when you assist somebody then they are going to usually return that favor ultimately ultimately.

A couple of easy methods to assist somebody out are to:

• Give them a hand virtually with one thing.
• Give them some good recommendation based mostly in your expertise.
• Simply hear after they vent or have to let one thing out.
• Give them a real praise for one thing which means so much to them or one thing they do that’s too usually taken as a right.

10. Spend extra time within the current second.

Study what you’ll be able to from the previous. And plan for the longer term by, for instance, writing out a plan for the week throughout Monday morning after which by doing a brief to-do record or plan every morning in your day.

However after you’ve performed that, don’t linger an excessive amount of prior to now or future as a result of it may well deliver a lot concern, worries and adverse emotions if you’re already in a troublesome scenario.

As an alternative, attempt to spend solely 20% or so prior to now or future and the remainder within the current second.

I’ve discovered that once I spend most of my time within the current second then it’s so much simpler to maintain up the motivation, the power and to entry constructive feelings.

And to remain sensible about what I can do a few adverse scenario in my life and truly take steps ahead with that.

A easy method to reconnect with the current second if you’re slipping into the previous or future and getting caught there’s to focus simply on what’s happening round you proper now for a minute or two.

Really feel it with all of your senses. See it intimately…

• Hear the birds or automobiles going by outdoors your window.
• Odor the chilly autumn air of the espresso brewing within the subsequent room.
• Really feel the solar, rain or wind in your pores and skin.

You will discover a few more ways to spend more time in the present moment in your daily life in this post.

11. Deal with bodily fundamentals.

Once you’re in a tricky scenario then it’s straightforward to cease paying a lot consideration to the basic constructing blocks of each day life.

You are feeling you merely don’t have time for that and also you neglect about it. Nevertheless it’s at these occasions when the basics might be extra vital than ever for the way you suppose, really feel and act.

The basics I’m referring to are fundamentals reminiscent of consuming nicely, exercising and getting sufficient high quality sleep.

These easy issues – usually ignored as a result of they appear a bit boring or primary – make staying constructive simpler.

In order greatest you’ll be able to, although your scenario could also be troublesome, attempt to eat wholesome meals, to get some train in (even simply common walks) and to not skip on sleep (you’ll find my guide to sleeping better here).

12. Put together when you suppose you’ll obtain probably adverse information.

It may very well be some information at work, together with your well being or funds or maybe with household or a pet.

It doesn’t matter what the potential upcoming scenario is likely to be, I’ve many occasions discovered it very useful to make a small plan or know only one or a number of steps I can take if that scenario turns into actuality.

For instance:

• Actions you’ll be able to take to cut back the severity of the difficulty chances are you’ll be going through.
• Trying up what others have performed in such conditions.
• Making ready your environment and residential so they’re comfy and crammed with stuff you take pleasure in and other people you’re keen on.

Typically I don’t want this plan as a result of these potential adverse information don’t develop into actuality. Or they’re merely a lot smaller than I feared that they aren’t that a lot to take care of in any respect.

However I nonetheless discover that the plan helps me as a result of once I’ve written it down I are inclined to launch most of my worrying and adverse ideas about that scenario. And so I now really feel higher and may focus my ideas and power once more on different issues I wish to do and luxuriate in.

13. Remind your self: I’ve dealt with robust conditions prior to now.

Regardless of when you simply landed in a adverse scenario, when you’ve been there for some time or concern chances are you’ll quickly wind up in such a scenario it’s straightforward to lose your religion in your self.

To neglect that you’ve dealt with robust conditions earlier than.

However you may have. Many occasions.

So remind your self of this straightforward reality to make it simpler to remain optimistic. And to breathe, to settle down and to determine what you’ve discovered from conditions prior to now that may assist you to this time too.

14. Search skilled assist.

For those who use one or a number of of the following pointers for a little bit of time and nonetheless don’t get the outcome and internal change you need then think about getting skilled one-on-one assist.

Getting that on-going help and assist in particular person from an knowledgeable like a psychological well being skilled could make a giant distinction.

Need to extra data and motivation that can assist you keep constructive? Then try this post with 19 tips on how to stay positive and this one on how to stay positive at work.