There is one thing common to all of us: life’s ups and downs. While we may prefer just the good things to happen all the time and do away with all the things that get us down, there are things we can do to help smooth the road.
Anyone who has been on a drop tower or roller coaster amusement ride knows that although the drops are difficult, they teach us something about ourselves. We challenge ourselves to do things that are scary to see if we have what it takes. It is tough, maybe even painful, definitely stressful but developing personal resilience helps us understand there is always a bottom and eventually an upturn. Let’s look at 5 simple ways to manage life’s difficulties and build personal resilience.
QUOTATION – for Life’s Ups and Downs“You can’t stop the waves but you can learn to surf.” |
Mindfulness and Meditation:
Some of the symptoms in dealing with life difficulties include stress, anxiety, depression and sometimes physical pain. Managing or minimizing these symptoms help build your personal resilience.
Mindfulness, a type of meditation which helps you become acutely aware of how you feel and what you sense, can help. Your body produces serotonin, which is a mood stabilizer, when you meditate or practice mindfulness.. It helps you clear your mind and relax, easing the stress and anxiety. It can be done with positive visualization and is accompanied with deep breathing and can be guided by others.
There are many guided meditations available online and through apps on your phone that can guide you through meditation. These help you put your problems and emotions in proper perspective, providing balance and acceptance.
One technique you can use is to lie down and relax your body and settle your mind. Pay attention to your body, how it feels from toe to head. Focus on slowly taking deep breaths in through your nose while your diaphragm rises, and out through your mouth, as it falls. Continue this exercise for a few minutes until you feel relaxed and your mind is calm.
Mindfulness can be done at anytime, anywhere. Focus on the little things, the beauty around you, how you feel, what you see, taste and smell. Try and stay in the moment rather than thinking about the future.
Physical Exercise:
Another approach to dealing with life’s ups and downs involves physical exercise. Exercise is known to reduce symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety. It helps your body produce endorphins which act as a painkiller. Going for a jog or brisk walk in the park may also help produce serotonin.
Finding time to exercise is sometimes difficult but is easier if you don’t over plan it. Just get up from your desk every so often and go for a walk. After dinner or before breakfast are great times to go for a light jog. Coming up with a new exercise routine may be too much for someone who is dealing with difficult times. Take it easy but remind yourself to keep moving.
Building a Support Network:
Whether you are one to talk through your problems with other or not, it is still good to have friends or family around. Socializing helps your body produce oxytocin, the love hormone. If you are feeling depression and anxiety it is good to get out and engage with others. This could involve helping a friend or family member with some chores or simply going for a coffee to chat. Laughter, or even going to see a movie with a friend can also help produce endorphins, which will help you feel better.
If you’ve fallen out of touch with friends, reach out and give them a call. They will likely be happy to hear from you. Alternatively, join a social club, volunteer or even join a sports team to cultivate relationships. Often engaging with others and discussing what’s going on in their lives may help you forget about your problems.
Healthy Lifestyle Choices:
Don’t forget to take care of yourself when faced with life’s difficulties. Getting sufficient and regular sleep helps reduce stress and helps fend off diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
Other daily routines such as eating properly, and avoiding alcohol and nicotine can have a large impact on your emotional well being. Consuming alcohol and cigarettes can impact your quality of sleep and can actually increase your stress levels. Eating mostly junk food will make anxiety and depression worse as it robs you of the vitamins and minerals that gain from eating a healthy diet. Some nutrients play a role in regulating neurotransmitters, your body’s chemical messengers, and reducing inflammation [1].
Make sure to take nutrient supplements if you are worried about your diet. Also don’t forget to drink enough water daily as doing so has a positive impact on your health and energy level.
Cognitive Behavioral Techniques:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) offers strategies to help move past negative thoughts, which is important for improving your state of mind. This strategy involves being aware of negative thoughts, challenging the validity of the thoughts, and replace the ‘wrong’ thinking with a realistic and more positive outlook. Part of this strategy involves assessing the truth of negative predictions, allowing a shift in outlook. These strategies help someone to think more positively [2].
One strategy you can use is positive self talk, a CBT technique which helps shift one’s internal dialogue to be more positive and supportive. It can greatly improve one’s mindset, changing motivations and improving mental health.
This approach to managing life’s ups and downs involves recognizing negative thoughts and replacing them with positive ones. This helps reframe problems as simply setbacks or challenges. If done regularly it boosts your self esteem, reduces stress and improves focus on reaching one’s goals. For example, instead of telling yourself that “bad things always happen to me”, you can replace this with “life’s ups and downs just happen but I am tough and can get through this and become stronger (more resilient) because of it”.
Conclusion – Managing Life’s Ups and Downs
Managing life’s ups and downs is possible using simple approaches such as applying mindfulness, physical exercise, engaging with friends and family, and using positive self-talk. Facing and overcoming difficulties is part of the human experience but things can be made easier or go “smoother” by applying these simple approaches to gain mental and emotional stability.
Check out Benefits of Positive Stress: Motivate, Energize and Enhance Life.
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The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Therefore always seek the support and guidance of your physician when you are unsure about any health issues.
