When Times Are Tough; Which Way Do You Go?

We are currently experiencing one of the toughest times in history. Each day that passes present us with challenges, stress problems, job insecurities, troubled relationships, health issues and so on. But does that mean that these challenges are insurmountable? Certainly not! However, this is only true for those who know how to deal with them. How then do we deal with challenges?

Everyone under the sun has two persons in them: a champion and a loser. No matter who you are and where you come from, your future would be essentially determined by the one you allow to dominate you. If the above title caught your attention enough to read on, then you are likely to be dominated by the champion in you. If you are currently asking, “How can I come out of the challenges I am currently facing?”, then the answers you seek are in the next few lines.

Having worked with various clients and friends, trying to help them to overcome very difficult emotional, career, business and health challenges, I would recommend the following seven-step process for overcoming any challenge you are currently faced with. Let’s start with the first step:

Step 1: Take a Break.

When you are faced with an overwhelming situation, this is the first thing to do: Stop. Sit down, take a deep breath and relax. Give yourself time to temporarily forget about the ‘mountain’ before you. Activity is not productivity. Understand that you are not in competition with anyone. Most of those you see running around, and round the clock don’t even know where they are going. Anytime you feel you are under pressure to ‘perform’ or keep running a failed project, it’s time to STOP. If you don’t, you stand the risk of making too many more mistakes.

The challenge is a pointer that something is wrong somewhere. Therefore take time out to catch your breath, and then you can start thinking. Start by counting your blessings. Thank God for the things that you can be grateful for; it could be a good wife or loved one who will always be there for you; think about that great job, good health, or ever-expanding business you’re blessed with. Think about the gift of life. Think about your past successes and breakthroughs. This would help you to restore your self-worth and gain confidence.

Your “Break” time is also the time to put the problems you are facing in the right perspective. Challenges are not equal to troubles. Seeing your problems as merely challenges makes you want to find solutions to them. But seeing your problems as troubles destroys your confidence and erodes your self-esteem. When you stop to think, your solutions flow to you so easily.

Your “break” time could be a regular time of the day probably in the early hours of the morning or midnight seasons. It could also be in form of a vacation away from a stressful job or project preferably outside your immediate environment. The brain often needs a new environment to capture inspired ideas.

According to Currie Ten Boom, “worry does not empty tomorrow of its problems, it only empties today of its strength”. Take a break and get ready to weather the storms of your life.