Difficult moments in life are inevitable and are a part of the human experience. Whether it is the loss of a loved one to death, financial problems, work stress, or emotional struggles, these are challenges every human faces. What matters the most in those hard times is how we can stay in control and not let those problems define us.
Coping with difficult moments, as easy as it may sound, is something we all struggle to do in order to keep our problems in check and not let them get the best of us. In this article, we will explore at least three actions or ways that can help us cope during difficult moments. But First what do we consider as difficult moments?
Difficult moments are times when we encounter various challenges in our lives. These challenges can be personal, such as self-doubt, struggles with low self-esteem or identity crises, relationship issues, health problems, etc. They can also come from our the work we do for example managing a highly demanding boss can sometimes be challenging, meeting work expectations, struggling to meet deadlines, dealing with rude work mates and clients, and Facing unfair treatment, discrimination, or harassment based on factors such as gender, race, or age.
They can also come in form of gender discrimination, academic pressure, traumatic experiences such as accident, violence or assault.
Difficult moments are simply those times in our life when we feel tested, overwhelmed, and stressed by circumstances around us.
Having identified the factors that contribute to challenging times, I want to share three actions that have personally helped me cope during difficult moments.
1. Stop, Think And Take a break: This is an important strategy that personally helped me in times of challenges. To stop means to quit or pause what we are doing when the current situation becomes overwhelming and stressful. During this time of pause, we can take a moment to think or reflect on the situation at hand. For instance, if you are dealing with a potentially rude client or responding to a rude workmate, taking a pause and reflecting on the situation can help you see the best ways to handle the matter without making it worse. It can also help you figure out why the problem happened, what to avoid in the future, and what could have been done to make things better.
Taking a break on the other hand, goes beyond having physical rest. it can also include taking short walks, jogging, relaxing with a fun activity or reading or simply admiring nature. Taking a break provides an opportunity to step away from tasks, relax and clear one's mind from activities that might caused stress or difficult times.
2. Socializing: Most of the time, when we isolate ourselves from others, especially during difficult periods, we often find ourselves struggling to cope with our problems. People tend to overthink issues when they are alone. However, when we socialize, we discover that we are not the only ones facing such challenges.
Additionally, sharing our problems with trusted friends, even if they don't offer a solution, brings a sense of relief because we can express exactly what is on our minds. Socializing allows us to interact with others, share our challenges, find a listening ear, and realize that many people face similar issues. Moreover, we get the opportunity to listen to others as they discuss how they manage their situations. Talking with others not only makes us feel better but also helps us know we are not alone.
3. Playing and Listening to Music: Music is one thing that keeps me going, especially on my low days. Thankfully, there are different genres of music for various moods. Whether we are happy, sad, or just fine, there is music to fit the mood. Lyrically good music has a way of reaching and touching our souls. Listening to music is very therapeutic, and singing and dancing along make it even better. I highly recommend turning to music as a coping mechanism during difficult times.
In summary, we all face difficult times, and how we deal with them really matters a lot. Pausing to think about problems and taking a break from things that might cause stress is one way to cope with difficult times. Additionally, socializing with people and interacting with them helps us feel relieved, even when they don't offer solutions to our problems. Music is food for the soul; good music has an alluring effect that can help us relax and calm down in times of challenges.
credits
