A few years back, I was listening to a motivational speaker and he said "if you think tough times will not come, then you are not ready for life." That was when I realized that you cannot really stop tough times from coming even if you want to, what you have a choice of is to brace up for impact. As long as you are living and that you are on the road to success, you will be met with challenges, which can appear as tough times, but it is by facing and overcoming these tough times that you can access the next phase of your life. Here, we shall take a few tips that can help one to stay afloat through tough times.
The first point is that you should focus more on the aspects of life that you can control. Just like I mentioned earlier, you cannot stop tough times, same also there are lots of other things that you do not have control of. So instead of trying in futility to control what you cannot, and then feel frustrated that you cannot, it will be better to channel your energy more on the things that you can control. More so, you should understand that you are not omnipotent and you do not possess infinite ability, so focus more on the things within your direct control, so that you will not burn yourself out while trying to change what cannot be changed. That is, instead of trying to stop tough times, just prepare for them, so that you will not be cracked by them.
The second point is that you need to stay around the people who will motivate you and give you the encouragement that is needed to go through tough times. I have noticed that when I stay around positive people, my spirit will be lifted and I will feel motivated to keep going. When you are surrounded by the right people or you company with positive people, you will have the strength to give life all it takes. The people who you stay with can determine if you scale through tough times or if you will be cracked by them. Trust me, it is better to have less friends who are good than to have plenty negative friends. In fact, it is even far better to be alone than to be with negative people. So make your choice.
Another tip that can help one stay afloat in tough times is to mind what you think and only allow positive thoughts. What you think in your mind has a very great ability to influence how you respond to the issues of life. If you think that your situation will consume you, then you have already lost the energy needed to face it. But when you think that you are well able to face and overcome the situations of life, then you will build up the energy required to do so. Always carry a positive mentality no matter what happens in your life. In order to do this, be careful of what you see, what you read, what you listen to, and even what you permit, because all these can determine your thoughts. Your mind is like a powerhouse that determines a lot of things about you.
The next tip is remember and celebrate your past successes. If you have ever made it through a tough time in the past, you can use it as a motivation that, if you can succeed at it in the past, then you can succeed at the present one. Always remind yourself that, if you have pulled through a challenge before, you can do that again. There is a level of energy that you can acquire within you when you have reflected on the past victories. As a student for example, if you become scared of an exam, just remind yourself of the past exams that you have passed. This will help you to face the one that is coming with confidence to pass it. Also try to take each day as it comes; one day at a time. Remind yourself that hard times do not stay eternal, so keep hoping for the best as you journey through the day.
The last point is to keep working on yourself. One of the reasons why some people crack under tough time is because they have not built themselves well to face it. When you are tougher than your challenges, you will not be swayed by them. Tough time, no matter how challenging it may look, does not last, but it is tough people that actually last. You need to build yourself and prepare for the challenges ahead. You do not need to wait until the challenges come before you build yourself. A soldier, even if there is no war at the moment, will keep training in order not to be caught unawares by future battles. In the same way, you need to build yourself: train your mind by consuming the right information, acquire skills, and also train your body.
Thanks for reading
