5 Constructive Ways To Deal With Life’s Challenges

Everyone faces challenges in life. If you’re struggling with life’s challenges, you may not be dealing with them in the most constructive ways. Psychologists have found that people who deal well with life’s challenges practice positive thinking patterns which lead to positive outcomes. Below, there is a list are 5 constructive ways that possibly steer you in the right direction. Hope this helps. 

Here are 5 constructive ways that can help you:

• Focus on What is Important
• Tackle Problems
• Practice Gratitude
• Build a Support System
• Let things be

Focus on What is Important

Many of life’s challenges seem overwhelming because they don’t have a simple solution. It may take time and effort to deal with them. Distractions and other needs can divert your attention from the real problem. Dealing with life’s challenges is easier when you focus on what’s essential and arrange tasks in the order they need to be done.

Imagine baking a loaf of bread. If you put all the ingredients in the oven before you mix them up and let the dough rise, you aren’t going to get a loaf of bread. Life works the same way. If finishing your education is the goal, then you need to focus on your studies and not on parties or hanging out with friends.

Getting a promotion at work may mean putting in extra hours. A promotion can become a life challenge if you let social events and personal time distract you from doing your work and putting in the extra effort.

As a whole, what may seem important at any given time, in retrospect, is just that and is only important at the time. While focusing on what may seem important, you may be neglecting what really is. That is why you you need a clear goals in mind to tackle any given problem. 

If your interested in further readings on setting goals specifically, how to define what you really want, here is a post on /Vision Boards/.

Tackle Problems

Downtime to rest and recharge is essential. But you won’t deal well with life’s challenges if you use downtime as an excuse for not getting things done. Problems can pile up and make challenges even harder. If you put off doing the laundry for days and watch TV instead, you’ve created a challenge when you don’t have anything clean to wear to a job interview.

According to Mental Health America, the largest community-based nonprofit group in the country, the best way to tackle problems is by starting small. You don’t need to fix everything at once. A college degree can be earned one class at a time. Organize your desk by cleaning our one drawer every day. By the end of the week, the job will be done! Tackling problems one piece at a time lets you build on each success until you’ve dealt with the challenge.

Practice Gratitude

Life’s challenges seem less troublesome when you practice gratitude. People who are grateful for what they have don’t see life’s challenges as negatively as someone who isn’t grateful. When faced with a challenge, grateful people look for positive signs instead of focusing on only the negatives.

Have you ever watched interviews with families who have lost their homes in natural disasters? They often express gratitude that they are alive, despite the damage done to their homes. Even though replacing all their possessions is a life challenge, they are grateful if they find one picture or memento undamaged. First responders and disaster teams report that most people are grateful for any help they get instead of focusing only on what they’ve lost.

While we never expect extreme changes in our life’s, most individuals don’t realize how blessed they really are. In turn, what many seem like a challenge might only be there to show you where your life is heading, or is simply a wake-up call.  

Build a Support System

When you are facing a life challenge, a support system helps you deal with things you can’t control. You may be upset and need people to understand and care. A support system gives you the strength to face life’s challenges. The people in your support system can also help when a challenge is overwhelming, and you can’t fix it alone.

Some life challenges are so massive you can’t solve the problem yourself. If your spouse becomes seriously ill, you will need a support system to stay positive. Your support system can also help with the many tasks necessary to get through the challenge.

Friends and family can help walk your dog or pick up your children when you can’t be there. Friends can make meals and encourage you to eat and rest. Someone you know may help by offering you a job if your spouse is out of work. Without a support system, life’s challenges are much harder.

Let things be

Most often letting your challenges work themselves out is the hardest obstacle to get over. Many times, our own ego’s want a solution then and there where this is none, and in effect, prolonging or even making the situation worse. When you step back and look at your problems as a whole, all it takes is a change of perspective to recognize what should, or not should be done.  

Ultimately many of us get in the way of what we really want, and in a sense,  we sabotage our goals to fit the way we really feel about ourselves. That is why when you visualize the particular outcome, more than likely you will receive what you truly want simply by letting go, and letting things be.

Conclusion 

You can deal effectively with life’s challenges if you use constructive and positive practices. Focusing on what’s important, tackling tasks, being grateful, and having a support system all help you to overcome life’s challenges. Although it may not be as easy as discussed above, sometimes just knowing you are not alone can make all the difference in the world, and solve most, if not all life’s challenges.  

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