We all understand that life goes from amazing to being a struggle and then back round again. Its simply the nature of life and our perceptions. So today I offer ten simple ways to keep the head up and keep moving forward.
Feel your feelings – Realize that it is okay to feel pain, let yourself be sad, angry or any other emotion. Feeling your emotions is as healthy as it is important. Bottling these feelings up will do you harm in the long term and prevent you from being able to process the obstacles in your life and formulate plans to get past them. If you feel like crying, shed a tear. If you feel like screaming, let it out.
Make a plan – You can feel those emotions but you can’t live with them forever, and you can’t let them run your life. In order to overcome life’s struggles, you’ll need to make a plan. Figure out what it is that you need to do in order to succeed at overcoming the challenges you’re facing.
Know that others struggle – So often in life we focus on our own challenges, but remember there is a whole world out there and everyone goes through something. You aren’t as alone as you may feel.
Reach out – Something I always say to my audiences is that asking for help isn’t failing, but failing to ask for help when you need it is. Don’t be afraid to reach out for support, you’ll find people who are willing to be there.
Accept Support – Asking for help can be hard, and accepting it even harder. Let people in.
Help Others – My friend Mia Farrow once told me “you can’t look for happiness, you won’t find it that way. Look for someone to help, and happiness will find you.” Now I spend my life helping others by sharing my story and I realize how true that statement is.
Enjoy! – Enjoy the small things in life. That hot cup of tea you’ve been dreaming of all day, or when you reach into the pocket of those jeans you haven’t worn in weeks and find $5. The small stuff matters when dealing with big challenges.
No Shame – Don’t be ashamed of what you’ve been through or what you’re dealing with.
Be Proud – Be proud of all that you’ve lived through. You’ve made it this far in life, and that in itself is an accomplishment!
Celebrate! – Celebrate all the good things in life. There may be the bad, but you can always find the good. Focus on those things and you’ll be happy you did.
Peace and Love, Jim
