If you find yourself dumbfounded and sitting in front of your garden, then this article might just be for you. It is undeniable – we always get that idle, hopeless feeling whenever we face a problem that seems out of our control. And the worst part is, we often ignore help from others and even the remedies that pop into our minds.
As a set of approaches, here are a few things to consider when going through tough times.
1. Surround yourself with positivity: Avoid negativity
“Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will,” says Zig Ziglar, an American author, and the harbinger of the Zig Ziglar Servant Leadership Award.
The first step to overcoming any difficulty is to avoid negativity around you. For you to overcome a problem or an issue, you would want to have an environment of positivity as negativity can only serve to compound difficulty.
2. Take good care of yourself.
Thinking too much about stressful events can have unwanted impact on your body. You lose your appetite, you don’t get enough sleep, and your focus begins to deteriorate. You then feel like you can’t go through the day because you are unable to do things you usually do due to a lack of energy.
If you’re stressed about something, start by taking a nap. It lowers your blood pressure and relieves stress right after waking up. Beyond that, you’ll also get to relax your brain and think lighter after a good rest. Doing yoga can also exercise your mind and become an avenue for peace.
Eating the right kind of food and a daily exercise routine can distract you from thinking of otherwise prevalent problematic thoughts. With the right nutrients and efficient flow of oxygen in your body, you will be able to find better ways to cope with these difficulties.
3. Drugs and Alcohol won’t make your problems go away.
Many of today’s youth use alcohol and drugs for more than recreational purposes. Especially in the event of high levels of stress, they tend to use alcohol, drugs, or even both as a means to escape the reality of their situation.
“High levels of stress may influence drinking frequency and quantity. This relationship between stress and drinking is even stronger when alternative coping mechanisms and social supports are lacking,” says Dr. Steve Bressert, a clinician and a writer for Psych Central.
This situation isn’t peculiar to youths alone. In an effort to relieve themselves of unbearable situations, many people turn to alcohol, and ultimately, drugs for an altered state of mind, commonly referred to as feeling ‘high.’ While the high that alcohol and drugs give can usually last for a while, the physiological damage to the human body is an investment towards long-suffering, and even untimely death.
“To make matters even worse, when you get back down to earth after the effects of the taken substances wear off, you’ll only discover that the problems you sought to escape are exactly where you left them and nothing has changed. Nothing but the problems your bout of substance abuse may have caused.” Says Michael Dadashi, CEO of Infinite Recovery, a San Antonio drug rehab center.
4. Opt for a change of scenery.
“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit at home and think about it. Go out and get busy,” says Dale Carnegie, an American writer focused on corporate training and developing interpersonal skills.
Make plans for a change of environment. If you don’t have work to do on the weekends, plan for an exciting trip, it’s therapeutic. Go to places that you haven’t been to, preferably exciting locations outside your state or country. Engage with new people, different cultures, food, and everything else in between.
5. You’re not a loser, you were just brave enough to try.
World-renowned scientist Albert Einstein said, “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” Keep this in mind the next time you’re feeling defeated after a series of failures. You’re not a loser, you were simply brave enough to try something new.
Take some time to try other simpler things you’ve never done before like painting, trekking, or learning a new instrument. These do not just keep you occupied, they also help exercise your brain and give you the mindset to forge ahead.