Making It Through Strange and Difficult Times 

5 Tips To Manage Your Stress During A Tough Time

Experiencing some stress, challenges, or are you going through some difficult times? Upset with all the political unrest, war and conflict in the U.S. and around the world?  

It’s very common for people to feel upset right now and be going through something difficult in their life. I’ve been a coach for 40 years and I’ve never seen people experience such intense emotions, upset and challenging times as they are right now. 

Hold tight. There are some positive ways of coping. Here are 5 of them: 

1. Trust you will get through this.  

You’ve experienced challenging times before and you got through them. You will this time too. Believe in yourself now more than ever and know no matter how hard things seem to be you will get through them. 

2. Start managing your worry thoughts.   

It’s natural to worry about your life and what’s going on around you.  Is there an immediate threat right this moment or are you ok right this moment? Take a break from worry and recognize right now you are ok.  You can’t do something 24/7 to take care of what you’re worried about. Relax in this moment and know you are ok. 

3. Recognize what is in your control and what is out of your control.  

Do what is in your control to do and for those things out of your control try to let go a little more and wait to see how things unfold. You don’t know what will happen. Trust you will handle whatever situation comes your way. 

 4. Try to be positive.  

Sometimes in challenging times people get in a negative spiral.  They start worrying, thinking negative thoughts and get more depressed or anxious. Try to get yourself out of a negative spiral. What helps you get out of a negative spiral is get yourself somehow into a more positive place. For you that might mean spending time with a more positive friend or family member, putting on beautiful music, taking a walk, doing a yoga class, watching something funny online or on tv or whatever puts you in a positive place. Start thinking positive thoughts whether you believe them or not. 

Some examples of these positive thoughts are: 

• I am ok. 

• Somehow, I will get through this. 

• Things will get better. 

• I am capable of dealing with this. 

• I am very capable of dealing with whatever happens to me. 

• I am going to be positive and know it will turn out okay. 

• I feel good. 

• I am happy regardless of my circumstances. 

• I can stay happy regardless of what is happening in the world. 

• I feel peaceful and centered. 

 5. Find ways to stay centered and peaceful. 

Deep breathing is one of the best ways to keep in a centered and peaceful state. If you breathe deeply for one or two minutes, it will help you improve your emotional state. Scanning your body and releasing tension and tightness will help. When we are coping with things we tend to become more mental and forget we have a body. Recognize your body and release what you can with breathing and your awareness. Do nice things for your body Take a bath, a jacuzzi, do an exercise you enjoy-yoga, dance, a nice walk. Eat nourishing but tasty food. Meditate or pray. Add some fun and enjoyment to your life to balance out some of the challenging things you need to deal with. You need to keep that balance ongoingly to keep your sense of well-being. 

Summary 

In summary then to get through these weird and challenging times trust you will get through this, let go of worry and recognize you are ok, take control of what you can and let go of the rest, try to stay positive, and find ways to keep peaceful and centered no matter what the outside circumstances are. Your internal world, your thinking and attention to your body will get you through any life challenge and into a more positive place. 

Fern Gorin, P.C.C., L.M.F.T. is the founder and Director of Life Purpose Institute. Life Purpose Institute teaches Life Coach Certification Programs and Spiritual Coach Certification Programs to students worldwide. 

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