Women's Life Link Be Well, Be Happy, Be YOU!
Going through a rough time in life may produce feelings of loneliness and inadequacy. It can make you feel as though nobody understands your situation or knows how to help you through it. And, though, it may not help, understand that everyone experiences these things at some point in their life. That said, each person’s situation is different and needs to be treated as such. The important thing is to acknowledge the pain and try to pinpoint the source. And, of course, I recommend getting professional help if things get too bad. Here are 3 light sources in dark times.
Light Sources in Dark Times #1: A Support Network
Though many people feel like being alone when things are hard, it’s important to keep a strong support network in place. Dark, stressful situations like divorce, illness, and grief can produce overwhelming emotions and clouded judgment. It is for this reason, having others available can shine light where there is seemingly none. In some cases, this support system may be life-saving, as in an intervention situation. Don’t assume you know all about interventions, instead educate yourself. You or a friend/family member may need this kind of help someday.
Light Sources in Dark Times #2: Find Good in the Situation
Life is never perfect and is certainly full of surprises. Some of those “surprises” may be in the form of tragedy or negative events. That said, I learned, from experience, that focusing on the negative only brings on more despair and depression. It’s important to try to focus on the positives of any situation. Even if there seems to be none in the beginning, just wait, something will show up. I like to ask myself questions like this: Do you have a roof over your head? Do you have a good group of friends? Are you breathing? They’re all questions that remind us there is always something to be grateful for. I encourage everyone to come up with their own set of questions to ask when things get hard.
Light Sources in Dark Times #3: Move Forward with Positive Steps
Reducing the stress from life problems can be overwhelming in itself. This is especially true if answers don’t readily become available. In this case, that support network we talked about is so crucial. Oftentimes, it may be a matter of actually facing a situation. I know this can be difficult when things are fresh and the ground seems unstable. It’s important to do what you can to function and tackle the harder stuff when you’re ready. There is no sense in pushing yourself or someone else to move forward if the time is not right.
Don’t think that a life makeover or sudden jump into joy is necessary to make things better. Taking baby steps is progress. A friend or counselor can certainly be a positive piece of this puzzle. When things get hard for me, I try to keep a personal journal of my feelings and actions. This helps me to look back and see how far I’ve come.
Hard times don’t have to keep you down or in a rut if you don’t let them. After all, they are a part of natural life. What is important is that we do our soul-searching and look for help when we need it. Yes, life is messy, but it’s also beautiful with all the colors and emotions. Consider it a privilege to wake up every morning, no matter is happening.
