Facing Hardship Head On

Do you ever make a to-do lis, and then run around like a chicken with your head cut off doing 100 other things? Do you think you make your problems a priority or push them away? Sometimes it’s easier to avoid the small bumps, but in the long run, they turn into what seems like an insurmountable hurdle.  

As we are coming to the end of the semester, we all have big things ahead. Hiding or throwing our problems under the rug while embracing life’s highlights seems like the easiest path. Although other things may seem more fun and exciting, it’s a lot harder to work on your small problems once they bundle up into a life-consuming issue. There are no right answers to hardship, however, being in denial and procrastinating is definitely not the right answer. 

When you feel like giving up on a situation, a person, or even yourself, make sure you weigh out the pros and cons. Try to look at the situation you are facing from a different angle. Make sure to consider the people around you, while also making the reality of the situation a priority. You cannot always change the way others act, but you can in terms of yourself. It’s easy to remove the desire to fix your problems and just replace it with the easiest and least time-consuming repair. The truth is, life is not always like cars or houses that can be repaired overnight.

Everyday communication, implementing change, and discipline are better solutions. Make a list with someone you love, maybe even someone you could be struggling with personally. Allow for improvement as well as goals without judgment. Make sure you allow yourself to open up and trust the people around you. 

Make a list in your phone or a notebook (it helps to have it written down) of specific elements you want to change in your life. These could be bullet point goals for the long or short term.

There is so much power in addressing your issues head-on, and this power leads to the confidence to make a change and grasp onto catching your behaviors or actions before they bundle up into problems. 

With all the exciting opportunities and new adventures going into our adult years and after college, it is very easy to jump to the new best thing or get distracted with worldly items. Taking ahold of your struggles and hardships first will get you a long way, and you will thank yourself in the end. 

This doesn’t have to be a judgemental lifestyle, and if you are working to improve the lives of others and yourself it should be easy. Most importantly though, it should be extremely rewarding.

Finally, have grace on yourself throughout the process. It’s not easy to critique yourself, and it calls for a true maturity and reality check. Having the hard convos, and giving people the benefit of the doubt will benefit you and your future self! Your life is not a homework assignment you can shamefully turn in at the last minute. Changing your perspective to restoration and bettering yourself with the help of those you love is absolutely always the right choice.