You’ve heard it: life is a roller coaster, full of ups and downs. All’s good when you think life is going “up”, but a “down” can hit hard, especially if it is unexpected. We can’t really avoid the downs, though we can certainly bounce back from them. All we need is a few ways to do so, and build up our resilience to “negative” happenings over time. If you’ve recently been through some hardships, here are some helpful ways to bounce back from tough times!
1) Discover Your Direction/Purpose
In other words, figure out what you want to do. If you do not get this done first, you’ll be just like a leaf in the wind, going where it blows, always drifting. A sense of purpose can give you drive and motivation. Whether it’s rediscovering an old passion or developing an interest in a totally new subject matter, having a direction is the first step to bouncing back.
2) Connect With People
With social media and technology, this seems like it won’t be a problem at all. Connections with people aren’t just a business opportunity, though that’s important. It’s also a necessity, as a good social support system will help tide you through possible future tough times. Other people can help you out, so reach out to people, nurture your relationships, and talk to them about what you want to do.
3) Keep Learning/Upgrading Yourself
There’s never a time to stop learning. Whether it’s skills or knowledge, everything new you learn is added to your arsenal in solving problems and living life. The more you know, the more adept you’ll be at handling a variety of situations. Plus, there are lots of tutorials, courses and information online that it’ll be a waste to not access them at all!
4) Schedule Downtime
No matter how urgent you think things are, remember that you need rest too. You’re not doing anyone a favour if you collapse, so make sure you remember to take care of yourself. Downtime away from “work” will give you a chance to rest and rejuvenate, and you may be able to tackle problems or look at things in a different perspective once you’re well-rested.
5) Think, Innovate, Adapt
It’s safe to say that we really are living in unprecedented times, and this is where “expect the unexpected” really comes into play. Keep an open mind to changes, and be flexible enough to adapt to any situation that may arise. Whenever you’re presented with a situation, that’s your chance to look at it in a different way, and adapt yourself to make the best out of it.
6) Set Goals
You’ve probably seen this one on every other advice panel, but the fact is that it works. Break your purpose and end goal down into small, attainable, tangible goals that are achievable within a set amount of time. This way you’ll be able to monitor your progress, and know how you are doing. Goals will also help you focus better, instead of worrying all the time. Make sure you write your goal down, and put it up somewhere where you can see it all the time for better effectiveness.
7) Act
Everything we just mentioned would pretty much be useless if you do not take action. “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”, so take that step, whatever it is. Execute your plan, and begin your journey to bouncing back. Actually doing something will give you a sense of accomplishment, and that can also serve as motivation for you to keep going instead of staying down.
8) Have Some “Normal” Plans
Oftentimes, it’s the changes and unexpectedness that shakes us up. In order to feel some semblance of “normalcy” again, it could be good to have “normal” plans. Make plans to catch a movie, hang out with your friends, travel… everything you were talking about before a “down” hit you, bring it up again. Even if those plans may not always work out, they’ll still be fun to talk about, and let you have something to look forward to!
