Why's It So Hard? Facing Life Challenges Head On

Have you ever had one of those days where nothing seems to go right? Life seems to throw up challenges quite often, and chances are the hardest ones turn up at the worst times. So how can you face them head on when you really can’t see how to overcome them at all? Tackling what life throws at you certainly does require a positive approach at times. And that’s why it’s never easy.

Preparing

It’s true that if you’re prepared for anything, then you’re better equipped to deal with whatever comes your way. Of course, preparation isn’t always that easy. After all, we can’t see into the future to know what we might need. That doesn’t mean you can’t make an educated or sensible guess. If you’re heading into a meeting with your boss, you’re probably going to be asked for an update on that project you’re working on. Grab a few stats and figures, so you’re ready with an answer.

When you’re packing for a vacation, you might include something warm as well as something for very hot weather. It makes sense to prepare. Start thinking about the things you might need for your day tomorrow, or for your weekend. Give your mind a chance to mull things over. You can even sleep on it. This is a handy way to begin the creative thinking process too. Inspiration sometimes just needs a particular thinking pattern (and a little time.)

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Organizing

Getting organized facilitates good planning! If you list everything and prepare everything, you can be organized for everything too. It helps with time management and can dramatically improve your efficiency. Making a tick list of tasks to do today can also motivate you to achieve more. Best of all, it gives you a sense of personal achievement as each item is ticked off. You can see what you’ve managed to get done today. Be proud of yourself!

Not Up For It

There will always be days when you’re just not feeling the love for your job. Maybe you’re not in the mood to get all that housework done. Perhaps too much is going on, or too many things simply aren’t going your way. It happens. Sometimes it’s OK to step back and come back to it when you’re in a better place to deal with it. Other times you can just give yourself a push and get it done. But occasionally, you simply can’t shake that blue feeling. So what can you do?

It’s worth considering the reasons why you’re feeling down. You might have a lot of stress at work right now. Perhaps there are difficulties at home? If you can’t think of a reason why you’re constantly sad but it’s been going on longer than two weeks, you might be dealing with depression. It’s important to speak to your doctor if you think this is the case. There is no need to suffer alone. Start building your support network, and address any underlying issues as soon as you can.

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Smarter Goals

Sometimes your challenges can feel too tough to complete because they actually are too tough to complete. Try to set goals that are easier to attain. In business, we often set SMART goals. This idea has been around for a while. All your goals should be Specific. Detail exactly what is to be achieved. It should be something that is Measurable. This means determining how much or how many rather than leaving the description loose like ‘some’ or ‘a bit.'

Make sure what you’re aiming for is actually Achievable and sensible. It should also be Realistic and Relevant to your overall aim. Finally, set a Time limit. When are you going to accomplish this goal by? You can apply this to each task on your to-do list if you like. Perhaps you can use it for health goals like weight loss or dietary improvements? You can use it to help you quit smoking, earn a promotion, or achieve academic success.

A Healthy Mix

It’s really easy to dwell on one or two things when you have little else to contemplate each day. It’s important to have a good work-life balance. If you have a bad day at work, at least there is plenty to enjoy at home. Personal or ‘me’ time is really important too so you can meditate or indulge a little.

It’s also a good idea to have an hour a day for hobbies or workouts. Exercising the mind and the body are important too! All of these things can give you the time out from your challenges that you need to rest and relax. Perhaps that time will give your mind the chance to solve the problem?