If theres one thing that life has proven oven and over again is that a meeting with tough times are guaranteed. And so are the happy days but no one fights happiness. I, too, have had my fair share of difficult days and I’m sure there are handful more hiccups to take on.
A string of struggles lead me to believe that if I want something in life, I’d have to move mountains, stress and worry and cry on the bathroom floor before it would ever happen - if I was lucky enough. As it is, I was the loser in my own life story. School was not easy, I was not smart, everyone around me was cool and clever. I just didn't believe I would ever make it out alive from that chapter.
You probably have or had a similar kind of a belief system about your life. Years later, that belief system resurfaced and I could feel the dark clouds within me. A storm was coming. I started believing that I had no potential, no talent, no skill. I used to daydream myself into a bad mood thinking no one would talk to me if I didn't make it in life. I started believing that I had no potential, no talent, no skill. I used to daydream myself into a bad mood thinking no one would talk to me if I didn't make it in life.
I was afraid - of myself, my weakness. A lot of people, places and things had considered me worthless, unworthy and not good enough. What made it worse, I believed it.
Fast forward almost 10 years later and I am a Life Coach with my own practice, a content creator sending #goodvibes via cyber space helping people find their purpose and fulfill their potential, thereby fulfilling my own.
It took me a couple of years to understand that underlying all those obstacles, lay a buffet of opportunities. It took some heartbreaking days to realize that there is always some good hidden in everything.
Life comes with trials and tribulations and while that ma not be in our control, how we handle it, is. From the onset of calamity, it is vital to ask if you’re going to win it, or whine about it. That will determine if you're turning the obstacle into an opportunity.
Over the years, I have had countless chances to learn the tricks of the trade and I’m going to share it here because I feel it is a vital for survival.
1. Mindset
We see things as we choose to. It’s only a problem if you see it that way. At the very beginning you have to manage your thoughts about the obstacle. Your view about it, will determine the kind of action you take. Perception always leads to action. With the right mindset, the step in the right direction will follow. Think of the ways this will allow for growth, healthy change and better conflict management. As within, so without.
2. Silver linings
There is more to it than just a handful of bad days. If you’re the kind of person that always thinks of challenges as a bad thing, a negative aspect of life, then start off with being open about the positive aspects about the situation because there always is. Even if it’s the smallest things. Again, perspective and mindset are important. Don’t rush to get through it, avoid it or ignore it. When you choose work through the challenge, with your thoughts, feelings and emotions in check.
3. Keep Up with Courage
The thing with road blacks is that you feel the need to stop on the journey. When you stop, you find yourself waiting - waiting for someone to move the obstacle, figure it out for you and give you a clear path to walk again. When you realize no one is coming, fear becomes your only companion. In order to stop this from happening, you shouldn't stop! If there’s a block in the road, find a way around it. If there’s a block in the road, don’t despair. If there’s a block on the road, KEEP YOIR COURAGE UP! Work on feeling good because when you feel good, you’ll be more encouraged to see if as an opportunity than a set back.
I mentioned earlier that while we don't have tough times in our control, but how we handle it, is. Fall seven times, get up eight, right? Every time you get up and choose to pull your strength back, you witness things go from gloom to bloom, from fear, to faith.
Learn to reflect and ask yourself “What can I learn to from this?” “How can I use this to grow?”
I have used these steps for the small and big challenges and it has brought out the best in me. The hardest days have only proven that with enough strength and faith in yourself, God sees it and gives you divine guidance and goodness. But you have to put in the work. Everything you do should improve the quality of your experience.
About
Naseeha Tayob Ibrahim
I speak. I write. I coach.
I want to make the world a better place.
As an avid reader and writer, it’s no surprise that communications became my career and line of work. There is never one thing in particular that defines who I am, except the fact that I am passionate about everything I do. That made me the odd one out most of my life. It made realize how important it is to listen to my heart.
- hashtag for Post: #mentalhealth #lifecoach #personaldevelopment #sunnah #spirituality
