9 Tips to Survive a Tough Time in Your Life

Have you ever felt like you were being carried by a wave so strong that you kept hitting the rocks? You were so tired and felt so helpless being thrown around that you could hardly breathe?

I know many of you reading this will identify with what I’m talking about. We’ve all been through a similar phase at one point or another in our life.  Maybe at a time in which too many changes were happening at once forcing us to get out of our comfort zone, or a time when there were too many questions running through our head analyzing every situation and trying to make the best decision to move forward.  It could have been a time when we were at a crossroad, a time when we lost someone dear or lost a job. A time when the world seemed so dark and we couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. No matter what the reason was, the key is how will we survive this wave and whether we allow the pain it causes to stay with us and affect us or allow it to heal over time.

The good news is there is always stillness after a storm. But until you reach that stage of peace and tranquility what is the best way to ride the wave?  Here are some of my answers in what I like to call the “storm survival guide”.

• Stay positive: I know this is easier said than done but you can control your thoughts. Choose to stand in a positive perspective and you’ll witness a paradigm shift in your own mind.
• Trust your gut feeling: Human beings grow up to become very left-brained. We are trained to count on our mind to analyze, make logical assumptions and cause & effect deductions so much that if we are faced with a challenging situation which our brain doesn’t know how to process, we become baffled.  Your intuition is the key that will liberate you from the hold of your left brain. The truth lies in a deep knowing that you unconsciously chose to ignore your intuition for years because it didn’t appeal to your logic; it simply didn’t make sense. Your intuition has a lot of answers in store for you; you must learn to start trusting it.
• Let go: Let yourself go and surrender to the wave. Let go of the need to know and instead, stay open to the opportunities that this wave might be carrying you towards.
• Stop swimming against the current: If you keep doing that, your reservoir of energy will be depleted. There’s usually a reason why something is not working out the way you want it to. The current will take you where you need to go even if your mind says otherwise.
• Have faith: In the darkest moments, you must keep the faith and truly believe that you are being taken care of. No matter how tough the situation you’re in, this wave is meant to take you to new places. They might look scary now but may prove to be very exciting
• Stay curious: Don’t close your eyes. Even when your head is under water there can always be some amazing things for you to see. Stay alert and remain curious about the where the when and the how. Life can sometimes surprise you.
• Acknowledge your emotions: Surrendering doesn’t mean allowing other people to manipulate the outcome. When you are connected to your emotions you will know when a decision is right or wrong for you. Even when you feel weak and tired, acknowledge that and stay with your feelings instead of pushing them away and allowing others to jump in and take charge. You don’t need saving.
• You always have a choice: Although you don’t need saving, you will need a friend who will listen to you, a shoulder to cry on but remember that even when making the toughest decisions you always have a choice. Don’t allow others to make that choice for you. They cannot know you better than you know yourself.
• Allow yourself some time to heal: When the wave passes you might be bruised in a few places. Stop if you need to and give yourself some time to catch your breath, regain perspective and heal. You can watch the most beautiful sunrise in a clear sky after a storm.

Don’t give in and don’t give up! Ride that wave and before you know it you’ll be the best surfer there is!