We all have adversity in our lives; that is just a fact. The important part is how we deal with the adversity. I would like to think I am good at handling adversity. I have had some experience mind you. But here are a few tips that help me and maybe you can find them useful.
- Realistic on the fact that I am not the only one with adversity. It happens to everyone. I am not a special case.
- Take the issue and map out worst case to best case. I actually get out paper and write it down. Then I have a very realistic guage as to the intensity of the adversity. If you write it down, I promise you will see that "things" just are not so bad in relation to the worst case scenarios.
- Now that I have a realistic view on the adversity, I write down how I can beat this adverisity in the most productive and fastest way possible.
- I focus on what are the things I can control. Often, we focus on things out of our control and work ourselves up into a roar when in truth, there is nothing possible we can do. So I don't sweat those things I can't control. That doesn't mean they are not there or real or even suck. They do suck and are real but I can't put any energy on those because I can't effect them.
- I plan. I plan action steps on things I can do to limit, reduce, or remove the adversity as fast as possible. What can I do? What can I control? What actions should I take? I want to be pro-active. I may even make a mistake but at least I am doing something. The opposite is sitting on the couch having a pity party using the HOPE method. I hope things get better. I hope this wasn't there. I hope things improve. I hate the HOPE method. But I love the I DO method. I do things......No time EVER for self pity!
- Monitor the results. Look at those things you are doing and determine if they are working or not. Then keep doing the things that are working and eliminate the rest. But you need to monitor the actions before you can determine the effectiveness.
- BE POSITIVE. Being negative will only cause more pain and stress. I am not saying this is easy because it is not. In fact, its terribly hard. Ever wonder why people are so negative? This is it. It is so hard to be positive in the middle of a storm. But do it!
This is my process. Hopefully some of these tips will work for you when faced with adversity. I hope none of you have any adversity but I am more realistic than that. Remember, its how you deal with adveristy that is most important.
I know this to be true: You are much stronger than you ever could think! You can handle more adversity than you could imagine! But have a process and take action! BE POSITIVE!
