If a magic spell could help us remove any negativities and problems we are currently dealing with, we probably would not have to suffer as much. However, such is a thing of fantasy. In real life, surviving tough times is challenging. This blog discusses some of the best ways to do so, but there are ways to do it.
Finding a way to cope with troubled times such as the pandemic and global recession is challenging. However, it could be as easy as reading a compelling poetry book about the pandemic or any other crisis. Surviving tough times is no easy feat, but we are not alone. Many feel the same, and if we could find ways to help each other, the solutions might be easier than we think.
Sometimes, we encounter issues whether we like them or not. From work-related to relationship problems, life can push us to the brink. Going through something more challenging, such as a pandemic, is more complex, mainly when your options are limited, and there is not much that you can do.
Developing positive ways to handle tough times takes a lot of work, but it can also help us develop ourselves. For instance, it allows us to better understand ourselves and build confidence. We cannot avoid problems but learn how to handle them. This blog offers some practical and easy ways of handling them.
Photo by: kike vega
Surviving Tough Times: Developing Your Coping Skills
The challenges in life don’t stop. It is either we face them or run away from them, but we all know that running away from them does not make them disappear. The best thing we can do to save ourselves is face them head on. So where should we start, especially when confusion seems to blind us? Start by calming yourself. A calm mind brings peace and can think clearly than a stressed one.
Developing your coping skills might not happen overnight because it is a journey. Similar to life, is a journey that gives us lessons and helps us become stronger. Once you have calmed your mind, reflect on what happened and what you can do about it. Try to understand how you feel and how you think. In that way, you are building your self-awareness, enabling you to see through things objectively.
Check whether your coping skills work for you or not. If you think one of the ways is not working, you can try another one that will better help you or ask the help of professionals.
Easy Coping Strategies
We react to stressful event in different ways. Some of us have higher tolerance for emotional distress, while some don’t. It is alright. Know that despite the struggling times and uncertainty, hope lives. Below are some easy ways to help anyone cope through the darkest days. These may not solve your problems but can ease your worries and pain.
1. Reading Books
Reading has been known to give people countless benefits. From health-related aids, to its entertainment use, reading is a wonderful coping strategy when times get tough. Books and stories help readers of any age empathize with others and better manage their feelings. It also heightens one’s imagination, reducing anxiety and improving how problems are tackled.
2. Exercising
Not everyone is a fan of exercises but there are simple exercises that anyone can do. In times like the pandemic when you can’t go out any time you want to, worry not, there are simple exercises you can do at home. Some of them are beneficial to your health and does not require much equipment for you to be able to do them. An excellent example to that is yoga. There are thousands of free yoga sessions you can do at home. Remember a healthy body helps build a healthy mind, enabling you to come up with the best decisions on navigating a crisis.
3. Reaching Out to Others
Take the times of trouble as an opportunity to prioritize your relationships and build connections with others. For instance, during a pandemic, you can send someone inspiring messages online. It may sound simple but trust us, it goes a long way. You don’t have to bring the most expensive and the grandest gesture to make someone feel better. Your words could be the magic they need to get through another day.
Also, it does not cost much to help. You can offer sweet advice online through video calls, chats, and text messages. Genuine human connection helps boost a person’s mood, eases anxiety and tension, and builds resilience. Making someone feel that they are not alone helps the person you are talking to and yourself. When you help others, you are helping yourself, too.
Polarizing times can be draining. It is easy to get overwhelmed during those moments and the ways above might sound too easy, but they can always help. It is easy to get lost and get caught up within moments of trouble but always try to maintain a hopeful outlook and practice gratitude in all aspects of life. Life is not always easy and finding ways to cope can seem impossible. However, don’t give up and always remember to be kind to yourself and with others.
Find inspiration everywhere and in tiny things with great ideas such as Christina T. McGriff’s book, “Simultaneously.” The book delves into two epic pandemics polarizing the United States simultaneously as the year 2020 continued. It is an easy-reading keepsake book with photos, captured by poems. “Simultaneously” can be purchased on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and ReadersMagnet Bookstore.
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