5 Ways to press forward during life’s challenges

Life is filled with challenges – teaching us life lessons, sometimes pain, and providing us the opportunity to grow. What might seem like the worst life challenge may turn out to be an event that causes us enough discomfort to move in another direction. When we change direction, we are forced to look inside ourselves and examine our vulnerabilities – what needs to be refined and change.

Here are five ways to press forward during life’s challenges:

1.   Accept life on life’s terms.

Acceptance of what’s happening in your life can be very painful. When certain life events happen, you may feel angry, lash out, and want to throw it back to the universe for a redo. You may not agree, but life requires flexibility as a way to bend and change you. Acceptance is empowering. Instead of resisting and suffering when things don’t go your way, dwelling on the disappointment, or denying that you are hurt or frustrated, recognize your feelings and accept them. This is the first step in becoming grounded – accept what is.

2.   Allow yourself to rest.

Carrying a burden becomes exhausting when you aren’t able to put the burden down. Rest. There’s no rush or reward for how fast you climb. Rest when you need to, just don’t give up and go
back down to the bottom because you think you can no longer climb. You can and will climb, because whatever burden you are carrying will make you stronger, wiser, and raise your value.

3.   Practice gratitude.

Be grateful for how far you’ve come, and remember all the blood, sweat, and tears it took to get where you are today. Imagine giving up to start the whole process over again! This should inspire your inner determination to keep going, or all that pain will have been for nothing.

4.   Get back to center.

Feel free to take time out to regenerate, recalibrate, and get centered. It is wasteful to worry about how far you have left to go in your journey. Instill action behind your faith that whatever lies ahead is far better than what you have already experienced. Gather your thoughts, dig deep, and show yourself that no matter what, nothing will knock you down. Save yourself by standing on your own two feet.

5.   Press forward.

Believe your end result will reward every step of your climb. As you continue moving forward, you will take complete ownership of your life because you possess the qualities of tough-
mindedness and perseverance. Love yourself all the way to the top.

If we approach life with an overly entitled attitude that life should be easier than it is, we are guaranteed to suffer. It’s never easy to accept what life’s challenges bring. These experiences cause us to feel vulnerable. It might be easier to shrink during these times and feel victimized, but when we get up and keep going, we will begin to see the rewards that lie ahead. Belief is the key to having a great life. If we believe there is a reason for life’s challenges, then we will learn the lesson.

Everything we want is on the other side of fear.

Sherrie Campbell, Ph.D.

Dr. Sherrie Campbell is an author and a licensed Psychologist with more than nineteen years of clinical training and experience. She provides practical tools to help people overcome obstacles to self-love and truly achieve an empowered life. Get her free article on Five Ways to Make Love the Common Ground in Your Communication. She is also a featured expert on a variety of national websites and has a successful practice in southern California. Receive free insights from Sherrie and get involved in her Facebook community with others looking to improve their relationship. For more information visit SherrieCampbellPhD.com.

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