How to Be Built Instead of Broken By Adversity

Life sometimes comes at us fast.  Things can be going along normally and as planned one moment and then the next moment you are in the next crisis of your life.  The reality is that grandma was right, we are always either just coming out of a trial, in the midst of a trial, or on our way to a trial.  That’s life.  The difference between those who are built vs. those who are broken by adversity is not the amount of adversity they face, but instead its HOW they face it.  Here are 3 things to be sure to do next time you are faced with adversity.

1. Let yourself FEEL

When you face something unexpected and troubling whether it’s a illness, job loss or relationship loss, it can come as a total shock.  You may be tempted to try to detach from it and move on as quickly as possible.

Don’t do it.

Let yourself experience the feelings and emotions of loss.   Be sad, be angry, be numb, be pleasantly relieved.  Whatever feelings you have, don’t ignore them or deny them.  Do that now, and they will come back later with a vengeance, unexpected, and maybe uncontrollably.

2.  Manage your emotional energy

Just like money, we only have so much emotional energy to go around and it does not grow on trees.  So, when you are faced with drama, make sure you spend the emotional energy you do have dealing with the most pressing issue at hand.

If that means cutting down some of your other obligations, cancelling on going to the family reunion, or not taking on that new project at work, then do what you need to do.  We have to stop spreading ourselves so thin and thinking we are invincible.

People who grow from adversity allow themselves the opportunity to learn from it by spending the necessary time dealing with it.

3.  Be Gracious

We all know that whenever we are going through something, there is somebody else out there going through something worse.   The truth is that we all go through our issues, but if you are alive, you are blessed.

This point is about PERSPECTIVE.

People who keep a good perspective on their life and the small window of time that this issue will exist when compared to their whole lifetime, tend to go through adversity and come out stronger.  Gratitude is a powerful thing.  When we can face our situation and still find something to be grateful for, it makes the situation a little smaller and more manageable.  So keep it in perspective.

You got this sis!

Let’s share.  How have you handled adversity in the past?