At some point in our lives, we are prone to being faced by a life stunting experience and this can come in different forms. For me, it was losing my husband to a cardiac arrest faraway in Milan in 2015, having to start life all over again and finding myself in all these. But that’s just one out of the many tough cards that life has dealt me. This blog post, however, isn’t an epistle of how life has dealt with me, it is about how to rise again when life knocks you down.
It is only a phase.
If you are going through a tough phase in life, know this is only a phase and it is temporary. I know sometimes you feel so overwhelmed that you may not be able to see beyond your troubles, but you must remind yourself that life is transient and nothing will remain the same forever. You won’t be sick for life; you won’t be depressed for life; you won’t be jobless for life; you won’t be traumatized for life, you won’t grief for life. No, you won’t!
Be Vulnerable – Allow yourself to receive help and find healing
While most people think that being vulnerable is an expression of weakness, the reverse is true. Your healing is majorly dependent on your level of vulnerability. Imagine having a fever but refusing to visit the hospital for proper diagnosis and treatment? It’s the same with life challenges. If you are going through a major challenge in life, getting off that challenge requires that you’re able to open up about it. Same as if you’re mentally unwell for instance, depressed or deeply hurt. Vulnerability and healing as I have come to learn the hard way are two sides of the same coin. Speaking about your predicament, therefore, means opening up yourself to receive help, assistance and or healing as the case may be.
3. See your challenge as a stepping stone:
There is a saying that goes: the difference between a stumbling block and a stepping stone is in how they are used. I know being jobless for instance looks more like a stumbling block than a stepping stone, but maybe it is an opportunity for you to explore your talents and do something more fulfilling with your life.
I know losing a loved one comes with the worst kind of pain and sorrow, but could it be an opportunity to re-evaluate your own life?
I know suffering from a terminal illness could be putting your life on hold; but could it be an opportunity to build upon your spirituality, make your life matter and re-evaluate the reason for your existence?
4. Make a victor of your challenge:
Although life may have been tough on you, making it through is a big deal. Congratulations, you’re a victor and your victory can serve as a survival guide to many like you. Have you considered starting a social cause or sharing your story to inspire? If no, then it’s about time you do so.
Be ready for what’s coming next:
Surmounting one hurdle doesn’t mean
life’s going to get easier, it means that you just passed this stage and you are ready for the next one. Remember how you studied hard to make your senior secondary school examinations only to find yourself in tertiary institutions struggling to graduate with distinctions? And then as if that wasn’t enough, you had to struggle to get a job or start a business?!. Life is not a smooth ride and if anyone promises you a perfect ride, they are just deceiving you. However, those who grow and succeed as a result of challenges are the ones who are courageous enough not to give up on themselves even on days when they had every reason to call it quits.
To be continued…..
