What six thoughts and reflections can help to cope with a crisis? Here are specific ways to help you keep hope and not despair.
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Nobody likes crises and problems.
… On the other hand, problems and life crises are an unavoidable part of life. That’s why it’s important to know how not to let crises throw you off track. Here are six concrete ways to help when it all goes wrong.
Overcoming crises 1: Crises are part of life.
Life is designed for humans and nature to constantly change. Again and again, life requires us to adapt to changing circumstances. Plants have to cope with drought and heat, cold and infestation of pests. We humans have to deal with slights, illness, separations, deaths, financial hardship and unemployment. Even if we try hard to be a good person and do everything right, our lives will not always be straight and according to our wishes.
It’s as if life keeps putting up a sign for us every now and then that says: It’s time for change! And that is good – even if we rebel against them at first. Most of us would prefer everything to remain as it is. So if you are in difficult times right now, remember: life wants to encourage you to move, to become strong and to grow. Just as a plant develops a resistant stem through harsh climate, you will strengthen your forces on the way through the crisis.
Difficult times let us develop determination and inner strength.
Dalai Lama
Look for a meaning that might be hidden in the crisis. Life doesn’t want to punish you or wrong you, even though it may seem that way at first glance. Crises and changes (voluntary or forced) are a part of life. You can only choose to fight them or accept them. At the end of the crisis, you will probably realize that you have learned a lot through the crisis and that you have developed further. Maybe you have made new friends, increased your self-confidence or found new goals in life.
Overcoming crises 2: Negative feelings are part of life.
Just like hurdles and difficulties, negative feelings are part of life. They are the companions when everything goes wrong.
In the cauldron of negative feelings are, for example, sadness, despair, fear, helplessness, guilt, loneliness, envy and anger. Our negative feelings have the job of alerting us that something is not the way we want it to be. They indicate like an alarm system that danger exists. Sometimes we just tell ourselves that we are in danger. However, since our feelings follow our thoughts, we are then alarmed by them anyway.
First accept your negative feelings. Once they occur, there is no point in fighting them. Allow them and express them. Then find out if you are really in danger and if so, if the danger is really as great as you think it is.
Overcoming crises 3: Everything passes.
Every time it rains, it also stops again. After every night comes a morning. Just as crises are a part of life, it is a part of life that crises will eventually end. Everything has a new order at some point. Encourage yourself with the sentence: "This too shall pass. Hang in there. I will feel better again."Direct your gaze to what is pleasant in your everyday life despite all the misery. I am sure there are little bright spots for you to discover.
Overcoming crises 4: Complaining and lamenting do not change anything.
Grumbling and lamenting about the current situation provide short-term relief. We show fate that we will not surrender to it without a fight. At the very least, we complain about the injustice and suffering that is happening to us.
But if we take a closer look, we punish ourselves by complaining! Because we keep our eyes on what we don’t want to have. This makes us feel hopeless and desperate. We let the past rule the present.
We can’t dream up a new future while we are dealing with the past.
Start taking action instead. Use what you have learned from the past to improve your life. Look for the direction you want to go now. Change yourself, choose new goals in life and do not look back. Regardless of what happens in your life in the long run: Remind yourself that you can only find peace when you stop complaining about your problems and start being grateful for the ones you don’t have.
Overcoming crises 5: Every little step counts.
When our lives are fundamentally shaken, we may not see the forest for the trees. On all fronts we have to make decisions and initiate changes. There’s a danger we’ll tell ourselves we’ll never make it back to living peacefully and undisturbed before us again. The following simple method helps against this:
- Write down all the things you need to turn around and get done.
- Sort each item by importance and urgency. Start with the most important point.
- If you can check off the most important item, then give yourself a big thumbs up because you’ve already moved forward.
Be patient with yourself and the situation. As the saying goes: Rome wasn’t built in a day either. It is enough to start with the foundation first. And don’t let others discourage you. Go your way in mini-steps. It is worth the effort. You will make progress – even if it is only at a snail’s pace.
Overcoming crises 6: Life goes on.
Even though everything may seem hopeless at the moment, make an effort to find a prospect. When we can’t see the forest for the trees, it helps to climb a viewing platform or a hill to keep track of things. Imagine how life can go on for you once you have adjusted to the new situation. Ask yourself:
- What could the current difficult situation bring positive for me?
- How will I think about the crisis in retrospect?
- What will I have learned from the crisis? What will I be able to be grateful for?
Remind yourself that every change strengthens your wisdom and self-confidence. A crisis offers you the chance to find out what strengths and abilities you have inside you and what is really important to you.