3 Insightful Steps - How to Navigate Hardships

As founder I'm having harsh self-doubt lately and this has been affected by few things going on in my personal space. We all face challenges in life. You may have it all, however during the tough times, we may question ourselves and how we could endure hardships to move forward.

With everything going on in the world, the season of uncertainty, and the crashes of things that might be happening in your life (at least this is true in my world), we all are inevitable to changes.

How do we respond to sudden changes and the difficult time that may be out of our control? How do we navigate hardships?

These 3 insightful steps may help you.

(1). Be Kind to Yourself

Kindness is not a weakness; it is a strength. I find it a lot easier to be kind to others than to be kind to myself. As a result of being kind to others, you may be getting a pat on your shoulder, or reciprocated act of compassion. The truth is being kind to others make us happy and fulfilled (truly there is nothing wrong with that). Yet, I choked at the thought of how many times I judge myself in the dark room, blame myself for failure or letting circumstances took joy away from me.

When toughness of life takes place, talk to yourself, give complements to yourself for everything you have done (from dressing up, showing up at work, smiling and doing stuff for your loved ones - sometimes unappreciated), be available to yourself. Don't feel the need to be perfect.

Fight the negative thoughts and fear, then replace the negativity with good thoughts.

Self-blaming isn't going to help.

Let's remind ourselves over and over, we are good enough for the present, and we will be brave enough to face the future. Find out more here.

When applicable (I’m aware not everyone has the luxury of time, capacity or resources to do this) be sure you are looking after yourself. Eat damn well, nourish yourself. There is abundance of information out there how food would stabilise our gut and eventually impacts our mental health. Working out will also help you maintain your stress level.

(2). Meditation | A Key to Renewed Mind

I remember few years ago, I was running a major event and I constantly had an outburst when I encountered challenges at work. A staff member once said to me "you are always stressed, you need to practice meditation." His words ring so true today. It's not until 2 years ago that I started the journey (with missed sessions here and there). Meditation is self-therapeutic; it gives me clarity and focus during the current hard time of my life.

Close friends told me “You look good considering what is happening in your life.”

I had built resilience inside of me. It does not mean I am not sad or deeply shaken to the core. It just means that the meditation journey had helped me to decipher my feelings and my thoughts better. I still don’t know the outcomes of my future. Yet as I sat in the dark room watching the sunrise in the morning, as I listened to my own breathing, and as I felt the pain in my heart and soul – the universe somehow whispered ‘great things are coming your way’.

The thoughts of believing that I am not bound to my current circumstances make me see the future with a restored view. It is incredible that we are able to change the outlook of our future by simply renewing our mind. Dr Joe Dispenza is a well-known neuroscientist who believes in this, and you may want to check out some of his powerful teaching on meditation and renewal of the mind.

(3). Acceptance | Story of the Heart

I found it hard to believe that this could be the key to living a more fulfilled life. Whether it’s uncured disease, the death of loved ones, the breaking of our relationship, divorce, unsettling financial hardship, and other life changing situation, make peace in our heart by accepting it. Life happens and it is so unfair.

It happens and there are things that we can not change; there are things that take place against our own control. The circumstances may not change immediately (or unchangeable), yet we can change the way we respond to it by self-acceptance. This may not exactly appeal to extreme traumatic experiences. Yet, we are not bound to be dictated by what happened to us, we are bound to live a LIFE. Open our heart, accept the fact that the past and present already happened, yet the future hasn’t. We can be the survivors and the warrior of our own story. Look inwardly and stop comparing how your own pathway does not look like others.

Accept and forgive the wrongs in our life.

Accept and move forward.

We aren’t bound to the circumstances for the rest of our lives.