We have all had setbacks and change in life that we were not ready for. We have all had times when things didn’t go our way and left us feeling frustrated or even devastated.
But we have never seen anything like the global setbacks and change that are happening in our world right now. Many are struggling to navigate this change. As human beings, we don’t like change (especially when it wasn’t our idea!) because it can leave us feeling out of control.
It is important to take control of your life now and that starts by taking control of your mind.
While we may not be able to change the negative events around us, we can change how we react to them. Learning to deal with setbacks and change in a quick and positive manner is crucial for our mental health.
It’s time to put on your rose-coloured glasses and enjoy these tips for dealing with setbacks and uninvited change in your life.
- Remove Emotion & Evaluate the Situation
I know this sounds easier than it is, but it’s also essential. Emotion is what drives us to react in any situation. When we remove the emotion and look at it objectively, we can choose to act in a more calm and productive manner.
Ask yourself the following questions to consider the problem from different perspectives:
“What is really the problem?”
“Am I the only person in the world facing this problem?”
“How does this problem look at an individual, national and global level?”
“What’s the worst thing that can happen to me now?”
“How will this impact my life 1, 3, 5 years from now?”
- Allow Yourself 20 Mins to Complain & Quickly Move On
It’s not good to suppress emotion so if you feel frustrated. It’s ok to let off some steam; talk to your partner or moan with a friend. But, don’t stay in that state for too long otherwise you will create negative baggage that continually weighs you down. And be aware that constant venting can be draining for others to listen to. Negative emotions are part of the human experience, it’s by processing them that we learn and grow.
- Process Your Emotions
- Meditate – set aside 15 mins, close your eyes, breathe deeply and observe your thoughts and emotions. Take time to listen to your inner adviser – I have included a free audio recording for you here. https://youtu.be/qvE47rM53mg
- Record your emotions – talk into a voice recorder, say what’s on your mind. Have a private chat with yourself. Talking out loud can help you gain awareness of your emotions and you might find it quite revealing.
- Journal – simply brain dump all your thoughts and emotions onto paper or type on your computer. Make sure to delete it all when finished, the idea is to recognise and respect the emotions but then let go and move forward.
- Talk With A Coach – Sharing with someone who can help you work through the issue brings relief and helps you see the situation from a different angle.
- Uncover What You’re Really Upset About
You may start off feeling angry towards others, or outside influences but often the root of the problem is that you’re frustrated because you can’t change things immediately, or you’re really worried about your financial situation. Anger usually comes as a result of feeling out of control the Coinjoin project. By taking action you can get in the driver’s seat. To help you work through some issues Download a free copy of my ebook Take Back Control of Your Life Now!
- Give Yourself A Break
If you are feeling very stressed about an issue, then have some self-compassion and take a break. Sometimes we need to remove ourselves completely from a situation to reflect and rebuild clarity and confidence before moving on. You can distance yourself mentally, even if you can’t remove yourself physically.
- Create Actionable Steps
- Focus on what can be done to improve the situation, rather than what’s happened.
- Give yourself permission to work through the problem.
- See the light at the end of the tunnel and identify actionable steps.
- Act on these asap, each will be a building block to positive change and improvement.
- Highlight Learning Points
I know it may be difficult to see any learnings from your situation at the moment, but hindsight is a wonderful teacher.
Write down the challenges and opportunities identified by this problem.
Acknowledge that it could be worse.
Accept that worrying improves nothing and life is too short to be upset for any length of time. Instead, channel your energy into the things you can do. This is much more constructive.
Download a free copy of my ebook “Take Back Control of Your Life Now” to help you work through your thoughts and necessary actions.
Book a free 20 mins coaching call with me – I’m here to help you.
