We are all likely to experience difficult times at some point in our lives. Grief, change, financial struggles, and mental health challenges are just a few of the reasons why we might go through ups and downs. There are a variety of tools available to help you get through tough times, and it can be incredibly useful to work out which might be most helpful for you.
Friends and Family
Your friends and family shouldn’t be there just for the good times. People who really love you and care about you will be there through the good and the bad. If you feel like you’re going through a difficult time, reach out to a trusted friend or family member for a chat. Speaking about what you’re going through might not fix everything, but it can help you to feel less alone and more supported while you’re overcome a challenging time.
Counseling
Counselors are there to help people who are going through a difficult time, whether in the short-term or long-term. Finding a counselor that you trust can be a great way to have a listening ear and some supportive advice when you need it from somebody who feels like a neutral party. Depending on how your circumstances are affecting you, counseling can be really helpful. It can help you explore the underlying reasons for your anxiety. For example, this anxiety counseling service offers some useful tips on the food anxiety if this is one of your issues.
Exercise and Meditation
The healthier and happier you can feel, the easier it will be to make it through a difficult time. While activities such as exercise and meditation might not take away all your problems, it has been proven time and time again that they can increase our overall wellbeing. The key to sustainability with any activity is to find something that you enjoy and that makes you feel truly better in some way. This might be a yoga class, a gentle walk with a good friend, or a few minutes of dancing around your bedroom pretending to sing karaoke. Whatever you choose, make it something you look forward to.
Prioritizing Sleep
A lack of sleep can make all of us feel grumpy, sad, and irritable. When you’re going through a tough time anyway, this can make things much worse. But it’s not always easy to sleep well or stay asleep through the night, and anxiety and other worries can exacerbate insomnia and other sleep troubles. Prioritizing your sleep could include creating a cut-off time for work and other busy activities, so you have enough time to wind down. It could mean cutting down on coffee once the morning is over. You can even explore listening to sleep stories and other relaxing podcasts or playlists which can encourage your body and mind to wind down.
It can be difficult to always overcome the ups and downs of life, but there are many tools available that you can explore. Not everything will work for everyone, but with a bit of time you can find your perfect combination of tools to help you through a tough time.