“We may not have it all together, but together we have it all” ~ Unknown
Without a doubt, we are living in a period of uncertainty, worry, discontent with the economy, and scepticism. I have just recently had this type of deep, visceral scepticism that may make you feel terrible.
In addition to wanting this to change, I’m writing because I know there are other individuals going through the same thing.
It is unavoidable to experience difficult times, whether you are coping with a major health issue or a financial catastrophe. And that’s when your mental toughness will be put to the test.
You will probably experience worry and self-doubt as a result of life’s unavoidable problems if you lack sufficient mental power. These uneasy emotions may give rise to pessimistic thoughts. Furthermore, thinking negatively will influence your actions, which may unintentionally make your dire predictions come true.
You must control your ideas, feelings, and conduct if you want to remain resilient in the face of adversity. You will come out of your challenges even stronger if you focus on these three areas. Remember the ABC method to help you stay strong when faced with the most difficult situations in life.
Accept reality
Acceptance does not imply consent. Rather, it is about accepting reality and not oversimplifying what is occurring. Thus, even if you disagree with certain things, like racism, you may acknowledge that it does occur.
Saying “I shouldn’t have to deal with this” and digging in your heels only squanders your precious time and energy. The first step in determining how to react is to acknowledge what is now happening, regardless of whether you believe it is right or wrong.
For instance, one individual caught in a traffic bottleneck exclaims, “This is unfair! Why must I continually experience these things?” He feels worried, irritated, and frustrated by his thoughts. He begins yelling at other drivers and pounding his hands on the dashboard.
“There are millions of cars on the road every day,” muses a driver who is also caught in the same gridlock. There will inevitably be moments of heavy traffic.” He waits for the cars to start moving again while listening to a podcast and maintaining his composure.
Acknowledging what you can control is the first step towards accepting reality. When circumstances are beyond your control, concentrate on maintaining self-control.
Behave productively
Accepting truth aids in mental and emotional control, all of which are necessary for acting in a constructive manner. How quickly you solve difficulties depends on the decisions you make in certain situations.
You may choose how to react even when you’re presented with an intractable circumstance, such as losing a loved one.
You will remain trapped if you engage in unproductive behaviour like whining or organizing a sympathy party. Such actions will weaken your mental fortitude.
Asking yourself, “What’s one thing I can do right now to help myself?” is crucial. Take action, even if engaging in productive activity means overcoming a fear or doing something you truly don’t want to do.
Control upsetting thoughts
Your thoughts may work in your favour or against you. Your self-limiting ideas will keep you from realizing your full potential if you accept your negative thinking.
Reaching your goals will be thwarted by statements like “I’m not good enough” or “I can’t stand one more minute of this.” It’s critical to identify instances in which your internal monologue gets unduly negative. Never forget that your thoughts may not necessarily translate into reality.
Communicate with yourself like you would a reliable friend. React to catastrophic or useless ideas with a more grounded assertion that affirms your capacity to overcome obstacles.
You can even come up with a mantra to recite when things are difficult. You can silence the negative voices that are trying to pull you down by doing this.
The only thing you can do is to develop mental strength before physical strength.
Developing mental toughness is comparable to developing physical toughness. A crisis is not the ideal moment to strengthen your mental faculties, even though you might not consider them until you really need them.
In a similar vein, you shouldn’t put off developing your physical strength until you need to move a big thing, should you? It won’t help you much to pump iron for five minutes before moving a couch. However, you can make sure you have the muscle you need when you have to lift heavier weights by gradually increasing your strength over time.
Consider mental toughness similarly. You’ll need to summon all of your mental fortitude at certain moments. Thus, it’s critical to develop mental strength training as a regular routine.
After that, remember the ABC method to get you through difficult situations. If you follow those three stages, your hardships will make you stronger than before.