10 Powerful Things To Do When Life Gets Hard

When life gets hard, you can safely turn to these 10 tips to give your mind rest and shift your perspective on things.

I don’t really know what fits into the definition of a hard life, but if it feels like being stuck, anxious, and as if you’re facing one curveball after another, then I might be going through a hard phase in life myself.

I’ve had more tears than laughs in the past few days, and one of my coping mechanisms has been reading my own blogs for help.

Might I say some of them have really good advice, while some I found bleh.

But instead of scouring around further, I thought it’d be nice to sort out my thoughts in one place, which is why we’re here.

I don’t know your story, but if things have been hard for you lately, I want you to know you’re not alone in this feeling.

Every person you see walking on the road has gone through hard times, and some still are.

Happiness is not a straight line. It moves in curves and circles.

You might think there is no hope at the moment, but remember that even the toughest situations crumble in the face of strength and patience.

And this post is my attempt to offer some of that to you (and to myself, coz I need it).

You are not the sum of your situations. You are bigger, bolder, and brighter than you’ll ever know.

Read on to discover 10 powerful things you can do when life gets hard to get yourself through.

What To Do When Life Gets Hard

1. Hit Pause And Breathe

In the heat of hard moments, it’s easy to overthink every aspect of your life and great impulsively.

Your mind can be a tricky place during such phases, and your priority before sorting out anything else should be to calm your racing thoughts to whatever extent you can.

Give yourself permission to pause, take a few deep breaths, and gain some perspective. F

or me, walking under the open sky while listening to music helps. Or the good ol’ meditation.

Pause and breathe as often as you need to. Would it erase whatever is wrong in your life? Probably not.

But it would definitely help you gain inner strength and remind you of the beauty in staying still.

Might help: How To Live In The Moment – 11 Valuable Tips

2. Feel Your Feelings

When life gets hard, things can seem dark and dingy.

We start craving sunshine and happiness, but since this need stems from a desperate place, it only makes everything worse.

I’m going to sound like such a cliche here, but it’s okay to not be okay.

You are a human with a tiny heart that is capable of feeling a lot. So, let yourself feel.

Be angry, sad, and frustrated. Scream into the pillow, cry it out, and rip the newspaper into shreds if it helps.

Take the pressure off your chest to be happy, and your emotions flow. It’s the kindest thing you could do for your heart.

3. Break Down Your Problems

Big problems can be scary as they are, but leave them to churn in your head too long, and they’ll turn monstrous.

What you don’t understand will overwhelm you, and sometimes, it’ll make life seem harder than it actually is.

So, go easy on your brain, and break down your challenges into manageable steps. Start with your topmost worry.

Whip out a legal pad if you have to and draw a pros-cons list and an action plan.

For me, focusing on what I can do today always helps. Once I have my wits under control, I let myself plan the next week and then worry about the next month.

Life is made up of minutes first, then hours, days, weeks, and months. In the face of hardships, it can be easy to forget this, but you won’t.

Break it down as much as you can, yeah? You got this.

4. Tap Into Gratitude

No matter how difficult the times, some good things in life always remain constant.

I am talking about things like the sunrise, a steaming cup of coffee, eating ice cream while crying, feeling the morning breeze on your face, and a long shower after a tiring day.

These are tiny things, but they make life so much better.

I know when you are down, creating gratitude lists and saying ‘I am thankful for this day’ can feel fake.

But if you allow yourself to really feel it, you’ll realize nothing is more pure and real than gratitude.

It’s just a matter of letting yourself feel and appreciate the small moments that life is made of.

5. Reach Out For Help

We aren’t meant to go through hardships alone.

Yes, you are strong enough to deal with the bad stuff on your own, but if a person can help you even if it’s just as a listener, isn’t it better to lean on them and take the load off yourself?

There are times when you hold onto your pride, but this is not one of them.

Reach out to your most trusted people and let them know about your struggles. Let your emotions out and allow yourself to be vulnerable.

They might be able to offer you a new perspective on things or help you out in some other way.

I don’t about you, but I always feel five times better after a phone call with a friend, and right now, that might be what you need too.

6. Give Your Body Strength

Your body needs love and nourishment during all points of life, but when things are hard, it needs more attention.

It’s the littlest things that can make all the difference.

Like making yourself a cup of green tea, napping when you are tired with a meditation turned on, and eating more fruits and veggies while also having your comfort foods.

I know a workout might be the last thing on your mind right now, but if you can get yourself to move even for 20 minutes to a YouTube workout, do it please.

When you’re healthy and well-rested, you’re better equipped to handle stress and make sound decisions.

It will also give you something healthy to channel your thoughts and energy into.

Because at the end of the day, your health is all you have, and it is your true wealth. That can be a powerful realization to draw strength from.

7. Limit Negativity

I used to think that negativity is a part of life. You can’t turn them off, you just have to learn to get better at dealing with them.

But in truth, exposing yourself to negativity is a choice, especially in these days when most of the info we receive is through the digital world.

You can be tough and unaffected when things are running smoothly for you, but during hard times, negativity is the last thing you need.

If you gotta turn off your social media or avoid certain people, you do it.

Seek what fills you up instead of what drains you.

Like, instead of scrolling through your feeds and comparing yourself to others, you could watch a sitcom you love.

Intentional choices like these will make it easier for you to protect your mental health during vulnerable times in your life.

8. Challenge Your Inner Critic

Our inner critic can be a real jerk sometimes, during hard times, it’s always on loudspeaker. Indulging it is a sure-fit way to magnify your problems.

I know it can be hard to silence your negative self-talk, but try anyway.

When a self-sabotaging thought arises, challenge it with evidence to the contrary.

For instance, if you think “I’m not good enough”, think back to a specific time when you succeeded.

Call yourself out on being too self-judgemental, and give yourself a big hug to slam the door in the face of all those self-doubts.

I do it every night before going to bed (no kidding), and it feels pretty amazing.

9. Give Your Life A Reset

No matter what kind of challenge you’re facing right now, you can give yourself a fresh start by hitting reset on life.

Consider it like refreshing your system. How do you do this? It’s the simplest step, really.

Like redecorating your room, trying a new self-care routine, organizing your space, finishing all your chores, or starting a new journal.

If you’re looking for a major reset, you can consider stepping out of toxic relationships, looking for a new job, or going on a vacation (even if it’s just for the weekend).

For more ideas, check out: 31 Simple Reset Day Ideas To Revamp Your Life

10. Build Yourself Up

I know confidence isn’t as simple as telling yourself ‘I believe in me.’

But at low moments, even an ounce of trust and faith in yourself can be monumental.

No matter what you feel about yourself at the moment, the truth is, you are capable of overcoming anything life throws your way.

Realize this truth. Feed it to yourself in small doses by talking in front of the mirror or writing it down somewhere.

For me, creating powerful journal entries works really well. I start by listing all my doubts and then turn those words into affirmations by the end.

It’s empowering, uplifting, and a beautiful exercise for the soul.

Life Won’t Always Be Tough

When things are hard, it can be hard to believe in positive change. But change is a universal truth.

When bad times start for a person, the good days also line up behind in preparation to show up in time.

On your end, all you can do to quicken their arrival is look for the good, hope for the best, and deal with your negative emotions with love and care.

The rest will take care of itself.

Don’t miss: How To Live A Soft Life – 8 Practices To Become A Soft Lifer

Got anything to share or ask? The comment box is all yours.