Have you ever felt like your life was falling apart? Like, just when you felt like you couldn’t take anymore, something else bad happened that left you absolutely devastated?
For whatever reason, the universe often sends trouble our way in multiples. It’s never just one thing that’s a slight annoyance or a challenge we have to overcome. More often, it feels like we have to dig super deep just to get by.
How do people manage when they have so many bad things happening at once? Finding coping strategies is key to getting over the hump when so much is seemingly stacked against you.
Using the right tools and strategies will help you compartmentalize issues and attack each problem methodically. Eventually, you’ll find your way out of the tunnel and back into the light.
Here are 9 ways you can cope when it seems like everything is going wrong.
The Best Coping Strategies for You
The first thing you should do is recognize that the way you will handle problems most effectively is not the same as your mother, best friend, or teacher. They can suggest what they think you should do, but at the end of the day what works for you will be something you need to decide.
Hopefully, some of these tools will do the trick and you’ll find ways to keep improving how you handle stress and other challenges in your life. With that said, let’s get into coping mechanisms you can use to stay positive when bad things keep happening.
Start Your Day Right
Motivational experts stress the importance of mindset over and over again. The way you start your day has a massive impact on your mood throughout the day and how resilient you will be when something negative comes your way.
To build that resilience, you can start each day by getting in the right mindset. Tell yourself that you’re going to have a good day, that problems won’t get to you, and get your energy right before you head out the door.
Express Gratitude
There’s something about expressing gratitude for what’s good in your life that makes negativity, fear, and frustration disappear. When you are feeling like things can’t be any worse, clear your mind and start thinking about what you have that’s good in life.
It can be something as simple as being thankful for a roof over your head, your family, a job, or even a nice breakfast. Focus on the good, and start building more room for positivity.
Eliminate Negativity
Sometimes bad things come our way uninvited. However, a lot of people let bad things walk right through the door in the form of bad friends, stress at work, poor diets, destructive romantic relationships, etc. It’s up to us to decipher when something doesn’t belong.
If you’re around people, a job, or other circumstances that do no good, get rid of them! Put some distance between you and whatever is causing the negativity and you’ll be better off.
Go for a Walk
Getting outside and into nature has a great way of calming us and removing stress. Exercising also releases positive hormones in our brain and body that lift our moods and keep us uplifted when things get tough. You don’t have to run 10 miles, but getting some exercise does wonders for your physical and mental health.
Stand Up for Yourself
You have to be extremely protective of your mental health when bad things are happening. Learn to say no. Stop seeing people who rob you of energy and willpower. Get yourself right and make your mental health a priority.
Go to See a Therapist
Therapists are trained to help us identify ways we can cope with negative things in our lives. They help us examine problems in new ways and understand how people, work, things, and other conditions affect us. Go see a therapist if you feel like you need some type of help to work through some issues.
Tell Your Friends
Hopefully, you have friends and family around you who care about you. Don’t make the mistake of internalizing all of your problems. Things come to a head and it can feel overwhelming. Instead, reach out to friends when you need some support.
We’re too often worried about looking weak or needy, but put the shoe on the other foot and think about what you would do if one of your friends reached out asking for help.
You’d hop in the car and be on your way in minutes. Your friends will do the same for you.
Try Meditation
Does it ever feel like it’s hard to stay centered when many bad things are happening at once? Our brain scatters from issue to issue without the time or energy to resolve any of them. Meditation can be a valuable practice that helps us re-center our brains so we can approach any situation more calmly and rationally.
People swear by the power of meditation, and it’s something that you can do anytime, anywhere. Next time you’re feeling stressed out, find a spot in your office, car, or at home and give meditation a try.
Track Your Progress
Unfortunately, people get stuck in destructive thought patterns where they feel like they never make any progress.
In reality, you may be better off six months down the road. Or, you may be worse off! Either way, you should track your progress to see where you’re going.
Keep a notebook journal about your life and the challenges you’re facing. Write how you dealt with them, how much of an issue they are now compared to before, and what you plan to do about them.
If you’re constantly writing the same thing over and over again, it will help you realize that whatever you’re doing to cope isn’t working. It’s time to start something new.
More often than not, though, you’ll see that you’re dealing with problems and making progress, and that’s something we should celebrate.