Oh,
how trying the stresses of life can be! Having situations that affect your
peace of mind can be challenging. And sometimes you feel like you've gotten way
more than you can handle. Yet still, you find a way to keep going.
It's
great when you can find the determination to keep going. But are you doing so
to your own detriment? Perhaps the way you're responding isn’t always the best.
Coping
mechanisms help to keep you in the game. But after a while, you may end up
crashing. The most beneficial approach involves using well thought-out strategies
to keep you in control.
Try this process to respond to an
especially challenging situation:
1. Stop in your tracks. If you feel
overwhelmed now, it’s likely to get even worse if you keep going the way you
are now! Stop right where you are and accept the situation for what it is.
·
Look
back at what has happened up until this point in time. Can you identify the
reasons behind your downfall? Make a note of them.
2. Embrace your shortcomings. Do you have
shortcomings that prevented you from staying on top of things? Be honest with
yourself when trying to identify them. It's the only way you'll be able to move
on to resolving the situation.
·
Whatever you've identified as your shortcomings,
accept and embrace them. It's pointless allowing them to bring
your mood down. You're already overwhelmed. The last thing you need to do is
put yourself down.
3. Avoid excuses. Even though you feel
overwhelmed, the last thing you want to do is blame it on something or somebody
else. Avoid overlooking yourself as the main factor behind your current
situation.
·
It's easy in stressful situations to refuse
accountability.
Just the tension alone is enough to drive your mind in crazy directions. Just
accept it for what it is, even if it means coming face to face with your
shortcomings.
4. Open up to others. Share your feelings with someone
you can confide in. Simply sharing can often help to ease some of the stress off your
shoulders.
·
Tell
the whole story. Allow the person to understand your highs and lows. Let them
see how your strengths got you this far. But also share what you think you
could have done differently.
5. Organize an approach. Now that you've
offloaded, you'll have a clearer mind to organize an approach. You've stopped
at this point for a reason. Now’s your chance to change direction and
pull yourself out of this rut.
·
Now
that you've figured out what went wrong, try to tackle those things first.
You'll want to prevent those things from happening again.
6. Surround yourself with positive people. It's sometimes
difficult to take on challenges on your own. As much as you hate to admit it,
there are others better at some things than you are! Embrace them and get the
support you need to manage stressful situations.
·
Use
the strengths of trustworthy people to get you over the hump. Be clear about
the role you want them to play. Handing over responsibility can be tough. But
be mature enough to understand that it doesn’t take away from your own
abilities.
Being
in over your head isn’t a death sentence. In fact, it's a perfect opportunity to be
creative in your approach. Once you identify an effective approach, you
can expect to handle situations more confidently.
Give
yourself the chance to be in control. With positive strategies, you'll be able
to take matters into your own hands and turn them around in no time!
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