Sometimes life throws curveballs at us when we least expect it. I’m sure you can think of a time when this has happened to you. This can really challenge our ability to cope and our hope that something better will come in time. What I have learned through challenges is that they happen to us all, and everyone usually is working through something. At the time, you can often feel quite isolated, overwhelmed and frustrated. Do you know what? Whilst this is not great, it’s okay. It will pass.
So with that in mind, however you are feeling today, here are 5 simple tips which I hope will help you manage the challenges you are dealing with a little more easily. I would love to know how you get on...
Focus on now
Do what you can right now, with what you have and how you feel. When a challenge appears, often things have to stop and change. We spend so much time focusing on what we are missing, and wishing we could still do it, that we waste a lot of energy which we could be using on healing, caring, sorting things out, grieving, letting go… whatever is needed to deal with the challenge or trauma. Negative emotions are normal, and letting them out allows us to start to heal and move forwards. Have a think about how this could help you today, and perhaps write a few things down.
Listen to your body
Do a quick mind and body check in every day to see how you are feeling in your energy, muscles and mood. Notice if you have any tightness, fatigue or anxious thoughts and really focus on breathing in calm, relaxing words and breathing out any of the fatigue. Then note three little things you could do to help your wellness for the day. Simple things like hydration, good balanced foods, and a helpful thought or word. By growing your self-awareness on a daily basis you develop a strong foundation to overcome and heal from any challenge and allow you to believe you can commit to a new goal or dream.
Appreciate the everyday
Develop a little patience, awareness and daily gratitude. I know this is possibly the most annoying thing to write when you feel like you are potentially ‘behind’ on your goals but I can promise, by developing patience, awareness and daily gratitude, you will start to become stronger and wiser. This happens by focusing on how you are feeling right now and making simple choices which will help you based on how you are feeling. Combining this with journaling three things you are grateful for, however small each day, your inner strength and resilience will return.
Plan your priorities
Start to play with your priorities and goals for the next three months keeping in mind the fact you may need to be a little more patient with your energy and performance. Write down your top 3 priorities and goals to achieve for July, August and September and, next to them, how you will feel when you have achieved them. By starting to take tiny consistent steps you will find you have healed further through the summer and started to move forwards too.
Find your support
Surround yourself with a great support team. When something challenging happens, in whatever context this is, we often find our support network and needs may change. This varies depending how the people around us can cope with the situation. So take a moment now and think about how you are coping with your challenges (it could be anything from overwhelm and anxiety to a loss , job change, illness or many other things) and what you would still like to achieve with your dreams. Write down at least three people who can form your support network to help you cope. This could be friends, family, an impartial experienced coach or mentor, or even a support group. Alongside this, note down things that you need to do less of, which you know drain your energy and wellness, like perhaps spending too much time on social media.
Remember, whatever happens in life, try to find something good each day that made you smile. Above all, know that you are good enough and whatever you are going through right now will change in time and you will cope.
Kim x
Kim Ingleby has the passion and skills to help you achieve your goals. Following three years of complex neurological, brain and liver problems from Post Weils Encephalitis, Kim has mastered the art of achieving success against all odds. She’s featured on TEDx, sharing her expertise on how to overcome adversity and how to be brave. She’s raised almost £80k for charity, coached Team GB, Body Confidence for Women and Strictly Come Dancing pros. Kim is a triple award winning personal trainer, DNAFit consultant, NLP
