Life has a knack for throwing curveballs. One moment, everything’s fine, and the next, you’re spilling coffee on your shirt or missing your bus. Annoying? Definitely. End of the world? Hardly.
Instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me?”, try shifting your mindset to “What can I learn from this?” Challenges don’t just test us; they shape us. Let’s explore how to turn life’s hiccups into opportunities for personal growth.
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Life is messy
Do you ever look at social media and see all those people who look like they are living their best lives in Bali and sipping their wines in Europe? What if I told you that those individuals have their mess to deal with and are posting pics from trips they had months ago and are currently struggling with their job?
Everyone has their struggles and inner conflicts. No one is special in that regard. Just because you accept that life can get messy, it shouldn’t mean that you should wallow in it. Instead of allowing the frustration to take hold of you, focus on tackling the problems head-on. Instead of wondering “why me,” go for the “why not me” mentality and prove to yourself that life’s challenges are tiny setbacks that can be resolved.
The power of chunking
Did you know that you don’t have to eat an entire freshly baked pizza? You can take a pizza cutter and divide it into multiple slices, preferably shaped evenly, eat the portions you want, and then store the rest for later. It’s the exact same way when we tackle problems that we feel are too complex and large. Just because there’s a giant problem, it doesn’t mean you have to face it head-on in one go.
The brain appreciates completing small goals, granting you hits of dopamine, and is a practical, scientific way of fixing your problems. Divide and conquer your problems so that it does not do the same and break you.
Happy little accidents
Bob Ross said it himself multiple times during his instructional television series, “The Joy of Painting,” where he masterfully overcomes his own painting mistakes and creates breath-taking nature-inspired paintings. Failure is not the death of success but the beginning. You can’t expect to always hit home runs when you hardly ever practice.
Failing constantly is simply a part of the learning process and allows you to hone your craft and become the better version of yourself one attempt at a time.
Remember that no one was ever born perfect and became good at every single aspect right off the bat. Even geniuses had to struggle before they could create their inventions.
Comedy of errors
Stand-up comedians are some of the most resilient entertainers in the business. They face harsh criticism every day in the form of their audience but they face them with a smile on their face and notes filled with their best gags and stories.
It’s the same way when it comes to dealing with problems. Instead of always being so grumpy and serious, having a more light-hearted perspective on your problems shifts you more towards a positive mindset. Does it make your problem any less challenging?
No. Will you be able to laugh at yourself afterward? Oh yeah.
Power of reframing
In improv, there is a powerful lesson that can be taken from one of the core principles. The “Yes, and…” principle forces people to think on the fly and adapt to whatever prompt is given in a scenario.
It can make an already absurd funny situation into an outstanding, entertaining comedy sketch. Similarly, we can take that principle whenever something goes sideways for us.
Get stuck in traffic on your daily commute? Might be time to choose a new route, go earlier, or see if you can work remotely. Did you miss an important deadline? Refine your workload strategy and maybe delegate tasks whenever possible.
Instead of getting angry, ask yourself what you can learn from this teachable event.
Reflection is a must
The most crucial step in facing challenges is what you do after other than how you deal with them. Do you take the time to stew on your failures, gloat on your successes, and leave the lessons behind once everything is over?
It’s a recipe for disaster when the same challenge pops up again and you try the same tactic but the problem refuses to go away.
Take the time to reflect on the things that worked, what didn’t, and what you can do next time. This allows you to future-proof yourself when a similar challenge comes and you will be better equipped and knowledgeable on the necessary steps to take.
Recognize the patterns in how you deal with challenges and modify how you approach them so you don’t get caught off-guard.
A win is a win
Just because you made small steps in your journey to grow doesn’t mean you shouldn’t celebrate them. Losing 5 pounds in a healthy way per week (and keeping it off) will still lead you to your goal of a healthier lifestyle in the long run.
A small cheat snack once a week is often fine, just don’t overdo it.
The small victories you get all add up until the once complex problem has been resolved. When combined with chunking your problems, it lifts your spirits and grants you the motivation to keep on going until you eventually reach the finish line.
Stand by me
Even if you are dealing with problems, there is no shame in asking for help from those around you. No man is an island, after all, and it is wise to seek the advice and guidance from those who have dealt similar problems to yours.
Whether it is your friend, your mentor, a family mentor, or even your coach, your support network is there to help you.
Do remember, however, that this is never a one-way relationship. Just because they answer to your beck and call doesn’t mean you cannot ignore them when it is their turn to ask for guidance.
The way ahead
The French psychologist, Émile Coué, famously said “Every day, in every way, I’m getting better and better.” It is a powerful mantra that reminds us that we continue to improve ourselves every day of our lives.
We become stronger, wiser, and more capable the more we turn challenges into educational moments.
Recall all of the problems you have faced early on in your life and how you grew because of them. You are still here standing and continuing to forge your way to your brighter future.
You learned so much during your time and gained new insights and valuable skills because you faced those challenges. You may have failed some of them, but you still gained knowledge.
Conclusion
Challenges are there to hone and temper you to become the best version of yourself that you choose to become. Yes, you may not have the necessary tools to overcome them right away, but eventually you will succeed.
It may take multiple tries, but eventually you will come out of the other side and see the bright sunny day after your long, rainy nights.
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