Choices in the Fave of Adversity
When I had my accident, I was oblivious to the fact that life was about to be filled with challenges, not just for the foreseeable future, but forever. Forever in this sense simply meant that I had to live with these challenges until I knew how to deal with them, which would now just be called 'life.' This was the beginning of my journey to overcome adversity.
I now had to make choices as to which road I was going to take. Adversity is simply a difficult or unpleasant situation. We face adversity all the way through our lives from personal challenges to financial struggles, from health issues or trauma to natural disasters where our whole lives are tossed in the air, booted to the curb, and trodden on with muddy feet. Adversity is part of life, and NO ONE is immune, but in the same breath, we can all make the right choices to help us overcome it.
We need to face every adversity that comes our way, head-on. This will not only boost our well-being it will encourage our personal growth. If instead, we choose to run away from these obstacles, we will miss out on the opportunity for growth. Opportunities for growth come with every challenge, but we will often miss them because we are not looking for them. If we are to run into them headfirst instead, this is can help us develop resilience, perseverance, and a winning attitude to life.
Good choices have the power to impact our lives, especially in the face of adversity. Making good choices often means not jumping on an impulse, because when we jump on our impulses, we often make irrational decisions. The term 'sleep on it' springs to mind here. I often make decisions on a whim and later go in after the fact to correct myself. I tend to struggle with finding the right help to make the right decision, but when I do, boy does that make a difference. Making good choices can help us overcome obstacles and achieve goals despite the roadblocks we face.
On the other hand, poor choices can lead to negative consequences than can hold us back. Hanging out with the wrong crowd, making bad choices at school, choosing the wrong path, or engaging in harmful activities, poor choices can have long-lasting effects that can be a challenge to overcome. They can be overcome, but I'll get to that in a moment.
Every choice that we make right now, can profoundly impact our future. When it comes to adversity, we don't always have a choice in the things that happen to us, but each of us can choose how we're going to overcome it.
5 quick tips to help you make better choices
- Figure out the problem – Get clear. You need to know exactly what the adversity is that you are facing and why it's a problem in the first place. This will help you to see what choices you have moving forward.
- Get informed – You need as much information about the adversity you're facing as you can get, and what the potential solutions are. Once you have the information, you can now make an informed and educated choice. Who else has been through something similar? How did they overcome it? The internet is filled with stories of triumph.
- Consider your options – Think of another alternative to overcome this problem. With this comes a pros and cons list for each option and a consideration of the long-term consequences of each choice.
- Get help – Turn to your friends and family and ask for help. I call these guys your cheer squad. These are the people that will help encourage you to keep going. Be aware though, unless trained, many people down know what to say and end up saying the wrong thing. Don't feel you have a network? Join a support group. Support groups can work wonders alongside professional help.
- Get it done – Now that the decision has been made, implementation is the final step. Taking action can be the final step to overcoming adversity.
This is how it works…
Figure out the problem: I'm feeling hopeless, I can't sleep, and I feel down all the time.
Get informed: Is this what depression is? I'll do some research. Ok, I might have depression. Maybe I need to seek professional help.
Consider your option: You talk to your parents about what you're thinking and what you're feeling. What should I do? I can see my school counsellor. I can see a doctor. I can seek out psychotherapy.
Get help: Ok I think would like to get professional help, see your doctor, and get the help you need.
Get it done: Make the call, find the support group, see the doctor, or do whatever you have to, to get the help you need.
Before I sign out, I have one last thing to say. Resilience is about believing you can overcome your challenges. This requires perseverance, one of the most important skills we need to achieve anything. If you fail at any point or make the wrong choice, just go back and try again. And again, and again, and again if you must.
Look at adversity like a maze, not even a rat can complete it without coming to a dead end at some point… but do they give up?
