Are you going through a hard time and are trying to get through it, but you’re not sure how? Sometimes when we are down in the dumps, it can feel like when it rains, it pours and that things are out of your control.
Having ups and downs is normal and essential to being human, but it’s also important to learn the skills that can help to lift your spirits and allow you to feel more like yourself again. Keep reading for some tips and tricks in this guide on how to stay positive during difficult times to find coping methods that work for you.
Work on Self-Awareness
A great way to work through negative emotions is to practice self-awareness. The better you know yourself and your reactions, the better you can work through difficult situations. First of all, give yourself some self-love and understanding by noting that it’s okay to feel down, it’s completely normal and human.
When you begin to feel down, acknowledge that feeling blue is okay because your feelings and emotions are temporary. Knowing that this feeling will not last forever is a great way to help you see the light at the end of the tunnel. Self-awareness can help you strengthen your emotional intelligence, which can benefit how you deal with both yourself and those around you.
Emotional intelligence allows us to react healthily to stressful and difficult situations. When bad times arise, such as the death of a loved one, or getting fired from your job, it’s easy to let our emotions cause a meltdown leading to outburst of anger or quiet resentment. However, practicing self-awareness and emotional intelligence can help you build up some resilience when you are faced with life’s challenges.
To build emotional resistance, take notice of how you react to certain situations. Practice taking a moment to think before speaking when you are caught in a difficult situation or an argument. Consider situations where you react negatively and think about how you could replace that reaction with one that is more helpful.
Focus on solutions to problems rather than ruminating on the problem itself. It also never hurts to practice a little self-care and patience along the way. Allow yourself to fail rather than being too hard on yourself, and instead, be forgiving with yourself and focus on how you can work towards self-improvement.
Talk it Out
When we’re feeling down, it can often be difficult to open up to others about what we’re going through. While it can be easy to shut others out when we are going through a difficult time, it’s important to stay social. While it’s important to give yourself some me time to work on feeling better, it’s also important to make sure that you’re not isolating yourself, which can lead to making your negative feelings more severe.
Friends and family are there to provide love, comfort, and connection, especially when we are going through a difficult time. Even if you feel that you would rather be alone, make sure you are taking time to see and spend time with those that you love and trust. Even a phone or video call with a loved one can be enough to brighten up your day.
If you feel that your negative emotions are becoming overwhelming or concerning, it’s important to ask for and accept help from others. It’s a good idea to remember that sometimes we cannot get through difficult times on our own. Many avoid asking for help as they feel that it will be a sign of weakness when actually it is a brave sign of strength.
Asking someone for advice or support when you’re going through a difficult time will show that you are doing what you can to improve your life and your inner emotions. Additionally, providing help or support to others is a great way to improve our self-worth and appreciation. Good deeds can help you feel better about your own difficulties while connecting with other’s that are in need of support as well.
Practice Mindfulness
Practicing mindfulness is a great tool for our daily life, and it can prove especially helpful when we are going through hard times. Mindfulness can help us slow down and pay attention to what is going on within. It’s a great tool when it comes to developing a more positive way of thinking and can help to sharpen the emotional resilience mentioned above.
This practice can help you become more aware of yourself and your surroundings. There are tons of techniques that can help you practice mindfulness, such as meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises. Mindfulness aims to stay in the present moment rather than constantly reacting to the stimuli around us.
This can be incredibly helpful when you’re dealing with stressful situations, as you can stop the constant negative inner chatter and instead take a moment to breathe or calm down. This can be a great way to lower your stress levels and work towards a happier and healthier your.
How to Stay Positive During a Difficult Time
While everyone works through hard times and negative emotions differently, there are many healthy ways to work towards feeling better on a cloudy day. Try some of these tactics in our guide on how to stay positive during a difficult time to find a coping method that works best for you.
Are you looking for more ways to better your life? Head to the “Self-Improvement” section of our site for tons of helpful advice.
