Going through tough times is a part of life. Life can feel like a challenging maze sometimes where you are left with difficult options, which might make you feel unfocused, overwhelmed, and helpless.
Start dealing with this stress by finding immediate relief from emotional distress. Learn to deal with your emotions to ease some of your inner conflict and distress.
Accept that tough times happen to all of us. Loneliness aggravates anxiety. Be in the company of those you love. But instead of merely spending time with family and friends, take steps to rejuvenate your relationships.
The best way to do this is to give more of yourself in terms of time, energy and attention. Give yourself the credit you deserve for going through hard times. Moderation is key, but you can reward yourself for keeping calm. Take yourself out to a movie, or take a walk in a park.
Releasing emotions is a great way to help yourself feel calm during tough times. Many times, you can feel angry, helpless, afraid, sad, grief, or ashamed when life has thrown you an overwhelming challenge. When emotions are bottled up, they add to feelings of panic and feeling out of control.
Fear may be the biggest emotion that gets in the way of feeling calm during tough times. Fear is just an emotion, like all the other emotions. By accepting fear for what it is, an emotional response that can be dealt with like all other emotions, you can take steps towards facing fears.
The truth about fear is that it is always concerned with the future. Be patient with yourself. Dealing with fears can be a lifelong learning process, and it may take some time for you to overcome the ones you're currently dealing with.
Mindfulness has significant scientific support. Studies have shown that using mindfulness techniques can help you feel calmer and more relaxed, improve your relationships, increase your empathy, and even lower your blood pressure.
Make a list of all the negative thoughts you have about yourself related to your situation, and then reframe them into positive, realistic statements.
One powerful coping strategy for getting through tough times is finding meaning in yourself, your struggle, and adversity.
Using your journal, write down things you are learning about the current struggle you are going through. Write down the opportunities you have to be brave, what you can learn, and how you can decide to grow from this experience. Write down things that keep you going. Write down why you have chosen to deal with this life struggle.
Learning to honour your emotions will always help prepare you for understanding more coping strategies. Keep cool, you will always have a great going for sure.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
