Strategies For Embracing Challenges

In this post: Sometimes embracing challenges of life when they present themselves can be frightening and can make you feel like you want to run in the other direction. Throughout life, you’ll come across many struggles. Latch on to these strategies to help you plow through those trying times.

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The sun’s dying embers painted the sky in hues of orange and pink. The gentle lapping of the waves and the distant cries of seagulls provided a soothing atmosphere to my racing thoughts. 

With my knees drawn up to my chest, I stared out at the horizon. This year has brought its fair share of challenges, and an unexpected turn of events has disrupted my path.

My job was changing, and not by choice. The company I had dedicated years to was downsizing, and my position was on the chopping block.

Fear and anxiety have crept into my thoughts, leaving me with a sense of vulnerability I hadn’t experienced before.

Sometimes it can be very hard to remember that it’s not unusual for you to have challenges surface ever so often. But, there’s no skirting around it, challenges are inevitable.

While some are more intense than others, the truth is they help to shape our essence.  

What Does It Mean To Embrace Challenges?

When we face difficult issues in life more often than not, we wish we could sidestep them. Embracing challenges means that when an unfamiliar and tough issue shows up in your life, you face it head-on determined to come out on top and not let it defeat you.

It’s important that you keep an open mindset during these times. Don’t look at them as difficult issues and try to avoid or run away from them. But instead, you accept and welcome these situations and make the most of them. When you do that it helps you to grow and make your life more meaningful.

How Do You Embrace Challenges In Life?

Hopefully, this video will help you to understand how and why you need to embrace challenges.

When you have to deal with these really tough times you shouldn’t let them ruin your life. The important thing to remember is to check your attitude as well as your response to these setbacks when they present themselves.

Here are some strategies to help you bulldoze your way through your challenges and get the upper hand.

1. Decide To Embrace Your Challenge

Decide to embrace your challenge when it shows up. Maintain a positive attitude.

Because, the fact of the matter is, how you handle these obstacles is everything. Having a positive attitude will make a significant difference in making the situation less terrifying.

You tend to worry when confronted with tough times. You can easily feel vulnerable and confused. Perhaps you feel like you’re a victim. But the fact of the matter is you really can’t control life.

When you’re unsure of something or your situation. Don’t freak out or throw your hands in the air and give up. But use the opportunity to embrace the challenge.

The choice is yours to decide that you won’t become overpowered by the situation. Pivot and learn something from your current difficulties and in the process strengthen your resilience.

When you come face to face with your challenges, take charge, put your shoulders back and tackle them head-on.

Throwing in the towel is not an option. But be determined that you are going to beat them. This is the first step to slaying your giants.

2. Accept Being Uncomfortable

There are so many experiences in life that hurt so much at that particular point in time but end up being for a greater good.

Recognize, accept, and embrace your challenge even though it might feel overwhelming and the energy just doesn’t seem to be there. It can make you feel upset and distressed and even heart-rending.

From financial situations to loss, to natural disasters to facing your fears. It can all feel so uncomfortable such that you believe that everything is going berserk. But you end up feeling a whole lot better and stronger after you’re over the hump.

Don’t shy away from these challenges. One good thing to remember in those situations is that it will not last forever. You can face them head to head and conquer them.

3. Take It Slow

When you’re facing challenging situations it can be such an emotional roller coaster. One minute you can be full of hope and the next minute you can plunge into total confusion. And, this can leave you feeling so exhausted.

Take it slow. Accept the situation for what it is and don’t get too caught up in the stressful moments. Instead, take a slow, deep breath to calm and center yourself.

It can be really easy at this point for the mind to start running to negative and ‘what if’ thinking.

To combat this, whether you need to pray, meditate, repeat positive affirmations, or mantras now is a good time. This is when you need to nurture your mindset the most.

It really doesn’t matter if you need to repeat it out loud or mentally. This will help you to relax, calm you down, give you hope, comfort and peace.

Another crucial issue is that sometimes in difficult times we tend to forget to look after ourselves. But it is critical that you be kind to yourself. Take care of you. Eat healthy foods and include exercise in order to nourish the body.

4. Your Support Squad 

Even though you might be feeling all types of feels – your emotions being all over the place, the truth is you don’t have to face your challenges alone.

It can make a world of difference when you have people surrounding you who are supportive. They are the ones who will help to hold you up during these difficult times. They’ll pick you up and motivate you.

Having this support team will give you the push to rise above it and bulldoze your way through so that you can move past it.

The rewarding thing is that the role will be reversed when any one of your friends or family members – your support team are facing challenges.

You’ll be there for each other through the highs and lows of life. Both you and your support team will face the obstacles together. You’ll celebrate and encourage each other and celebrate your wins together. 

5. Be Grateful for Your Challenges

It might not sound practical for you to feel grateful for your challenges. But think about it. Embracing challenges and determined to stare them in the face, tackle them headfirst, and then defeat them strengthens you mentally.

For this reason, it, therefore, makes you rock-solid and a tougher person to reckon with. There is no better feeling when you’ve faced a rough patch and come out on top.

6. Make Use Of Humour

You might not think that making use of humor when going through these rough patches is a good thing. However research has shown that laughter is an important part of our daily lives.

Why is it necessary? I’m sure that you can relate to the fact that humor is a stress reliever and a coping mechanism. It also helps to build connections with other people.

It is also a small act of defiance. We can’t control the situation but we can certainly add some humor to it. This takes the edge off your own fears. Watch funny movies, go to a comedy club, or connect with friends and family and share a good laugh. Humor is powerful and has healing capabilities.

What Are The Benefits Of Facing Challenges?

You might see tough situations as negatives but I urge you to look at them from a different perspective. When you tough it out during those difficult times, these experiences can be one of the greatest teachers.

The benefits of facing challenges are numerous. These include:

• Helps you to practice gratitude.
• Strengthens you mentally.
• You learn to appreciate your achievements.
• More confident of your capabilities.
• Gets you better prepared to tackle difficult situations.
• Your personality will emerge.
• Helps you to be resourceful and innovative.
• Helps to build empathy and compassion.

Conclusion On Embracing Challenges

Challenges are a natural part of life.  Having these experiences teaches you a whole lot about life. The critical thing to remember though, is that you can grow in the face of hardships.

Without having challenges you would not gain knowledge, grow, become a stronger person, and carve your way to being your best self.

What difficulties are you facing right now? How do you deal with challenges in your life? Comment below!