LOH contest #232: My mantra for handling life difficulties

Difficulties in life are an inevitable part of human experience, while we can't always choose what we are served, we can choose how we respond to them. When faced with life's challenges, embracing a patient and determined mindset can help us navigate these difficulties with unwavering spirit.

In the past, my response to life's tough stuff was always the same: cry, complain, and worry. When things don't go my way, I let myself drown in a pool of sadness.

Something not worth stressing about happens in school, and I'm already stressing and panicking over it all.
That was my reaction (a reflex, really) to difficulties in life. I was scared and insecure, and I let that fear control how I handled setbacks.

I spent so much time swimming in self-pity and fretting, until one day, I realised that the way I talked to myself mattered - a lot. I saw that my negative self-talk was making my difficulties feel even harder to deal with. So I started reframing my thoughts.

It's not that I'm now immune to negatively, but I've learnt to turn its volume down.

Even when I had the solution to my problem in hand, my anxiety wouldn't let me rest, I still would not let go of my concerns. And they weighed me down, a heavy burden on my mind, long after they should have been put to rest.

But the tides have turned, and with them, my approach to life's difficulties. Now, I don't immediately retreat to fretting. While I still feel anxious and fret at times, I no longer let it dominate. Now, I meet difficulties with acceptance or resistance, after assessing the situation... recognising that it's part of life's journey, and seeing them as part of my story rather than the entire story.

Patience, has become my companion on the road of difficulties. No longer do I rush to find quick solutions or let myself become overwhelmed by the urgency of the situation. I also turn to prayers, seeking strength and guidance from a higher power, God.

And that's when a sense of peace began to settle within me. I was no longer plagued with the constant barrage of negativity and worry. I realised that by accepting that yes, there'll be difficulties, I was giving myself permisson to move forward, to learn from the past, and to find strenght in the present.

There was something my dad shared with me one day, it said: "Don't let the difficulties of life define you, but rather guide you on your journey towards growth and self-discovery. View difficulties as a stepping stone in your journey of growth, understanding that they exist not to break you, but to help you evolve into a stronger version of yourself."

I read this over again whenever I begin to worry about something wrong going on in my life, reminding myself that worrying and letting it draw me back won't solve anything. Rather, I begin to seek solutions for the challenges.

Thanks for reading😊

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