When we are faced with misfortune, we are quick to say “this, too, shall pass,” but we forget that the same phrase applies when things are going well.
When you think you’re on top of the world, it only takes one bad day to knock you back down to earth.
Perhaps you’ve lost your work, or you’ve suffered a serious injury or sickness. Perhaps it’s the unexpected death of a loved one or a faith crisis. Regardless of what is going wrong, you are never completely helpless – even if it may feel that way at times.
Whatever the situation, one thing you can always do is take charge and adjust your perspective. This list was made specifically for that reason, as we know that changing your perspective can sometimes help you get back on your feet.
Continue reading to learn how to change your perspective, whether you’re in a crisis or not. The view from street level to the top of the Richard J. Daley Center.
“Not only does what you see rely on what you look at but also one where you look.” — Deacon James
1. It Will All Be Over Soon.
Returning to what I said at the outset, it’s critical to realize that nothing is ever the same. Both the ways we cope with things and the chances that offer themselves are always changing and evolving.
However, some thresholds can only be crossed in one direction.
There are no remedies for all illnesses, but happily, many emergencies do not fall into this group. Those who do are difficult to deal with, whether they affect us personally or someone we know. Chronic illnesses can be frightening and intimidating, so reach out to others and form a support group of individuals who understand and sympathize with your concerns.
Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, depression, fibromyalgia, MS, asthma, or something else, don’t give up hope that new therapies and treatments can help you live your best life.
From a different perspective, if you’ve recently lost your job and are now receiving no responses to your applications, try to remind yourself that this is only a temporary circumstance.
Maybe tomorrow is the day you finally get that long-awaited phone call.
A woman stands atop a mountain, looking down into a vast valley.
“Believe in yourself and everything you are; realize that something larger than any hurdle resides within you.” Larson, Christian D.
2. Get a Sense Of Perspective.
When things go wrong, it can feel as if a shroud of gloom has descended upon us. We can’t seem to see our way through the cloth to let the fresh air in, no matter how hard we try.
It’s all too easy to fall into the “why me?” trap, believing that if we rage against the darkness long enough, something will change. Either the darkness will feel sorry for us and change its nature or withdraw, or someone else will shine a light on us.
This is not the kind of thinking that will benefit you in difficult circumstances. Rather than asking yourself, “Why me?” consider, “Why not me?” What distinguishes me from others in that I never have to endure as they do? The first step to surviving in a crisis and fighting the impulse to rant and rail about things you can’t control is to gain a sense of perspective.
Relying on others to help you gain perspective might actually make it more difficult – especially if the crisis is personal, such as losing a job or ending a relationship or friendship. Avoid asking others what they would do or say, and instead concentrate on charting your own course.
When faced with a crisis, it’s preferable (and healthier) to come to your own conclusions and make your own judgments, even if your friends and family members want what’s best for you.
On a beige background, the tops of four pineapples
“There are moments when life is too difficult to be alone, and other times when life is too good to be alone.” Elizabeth Gilbert (author)
3. You Aren’t The Only One Who Feels This Way.
While I agree that allowing others to influence you can make certain types of personal crises more difficult to deal with, you should never imagine that you are fully alone. Help can come from the most unlikely of places.
When you start performing the work, the world will sometimes meet you halfway by providing the person with the exact abilities or counsel you require.
Even while complaining rarely results in help, there’s no reason you shouldn’t share your tale with others – especially if it impacts your mental health. While a stoic demeanor and stiff upper lip may appear more respectable, humility is frequently the key to redemption.
Nobody can assist you if they are unaware that you require assistance.
Inform family, friends, acquaintances, and even strangers about your condition, and be receptive to their offers of support and assistance.
You never know when someone will give you the one item you require to radically transform your perspective on a situation.
It could be a physical resource, or simply information or an idea – or even a new point of view.
Be receptive to fresh ideas and perspectives, and don’t refuse to help out of pride or stubbornness.
From an unknown source, a quote on perspective during a crisis.
“It is impossible to change the past. You still have control over the future.” – Unidentified
4. The past is no longer relevant.
You’d think that as you get older, it gets easier to deal with bumps in the road, right?
Many of us learn the hard way that this is not the case. We believe we have the maturity and experience to deal with a catastrophe.
Unfortunately, for some of us, certain crises – such as the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, or spells of sadness or anxiety – serve as a reminder of all the terrible experiences we’ve had in the past. We begin to relive the awful things that have happened to us, and we get overwhelmed by the fear of it happening again.
When confronted with fresh obstacles, keep in mind that the past belongs to the past. Put it back where it belongs. If you can avoid repetition by using lessons from the past, do so. However, avoid fatalistic thinking, which implies that just because something horrible is happening right now, everything will return to normal.
You have the power to shape your future the way you want it to be, and you can use your current circumstances to assist you.
On an orange Olympic track with white lane markings, the 800-yard mark
“Some men break; others break records because of adversity.” — Ward, William Arthur
5. You’ve Already Triumphed Against Adversity.
This can happen to anyone, no matter how young they are. Don’t let anyone convince you that just because you’re young, you don’t understand what it’s like to confront adversity – no one is immune to suffering.
Losing a family member, house, or friend while you’re young can be terrible, but it can also provide you with the emotional maturity you need to go forward.
To put it another way, the more challenges you experience in life, the more victories you will accumulate.
Remind yourself of how those terrible circumstances shaped you when you find yourself flashing back to scary recollections from your past.
You are here because of your hard work, a smart idea, or an unexpected helping hand. It felt impossible back then as well!
In a gloomy night sky, a close-up of a Blood Moon.
“Now that my barn has burned down, I can see the moon.” — Masahide, a seventeenth-century Japanese poet and samurai
6. Other People Don’t Always know What’s Best For You.
When you’re in the middle of a crisis, it can feel like the entire world is trying to tell you what’s going on and what you should do.
Their advice is sometimes invaluable; in certain cases, as I have learned from personal experience, it can even save you from depression.
Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case — not everyone who offers you their opinion has your best interests at heart.
There are a lot of pessimists in the world. They say that misery loves company, and it’s true: people who are going through a terrible period would welcome the opportunity to sympathize with someone who is going through the same thing.
Others, on the other hand, are looking for a way to blame you for their shortcomings. Others may even be rooting for your demise, however how difficult it is to believe.
Take the positive action of ignoring their negativity and moving forward if your instinct tells you that someone is not looking out for your best interests.
Listen to the individuals that want you to succeed and believe in yourself.
Against a dark background, and Octavia Butler quote and a recently lighted match
“A Phoenix must first burn in order to emerge from its ashes.” Octavia Butler Octavia Butler Octavia Butler Octavia Butler
7. It Is Said That Necessity Is The Mother Of Invention.
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, we’ve all heard.
However, if you’ve had a few setbacks in life, you could disagree.
You may have also heard that necessity is the mother of invention, which means that the need to adjust or adapt to anything often leads to fantastic results.
It’s likely that at least some of the challenges you’ve faced have taught you anything.
It could have been a new job or a new friend, stronger professional or interpersonal abilities, or better money management. Adversity does have the ability to make us stronger. It can also make us smarter at times.
Admittedly, not all of the changes we go through are positive: adversity can make us fearful of the future.
It has the potential to generate self-doubt in us, which can last for years. However, there are usually enough beneficial adjustments to balance out the unpleasant ones, and sticking to them might help you confront future challenges.
A pick-wielding mountain climber ascends a steep and hazardous rock wall.
“Love without conditions. However, you must rely on yourself.” Marty Rubin is a writer who lives in New York City.
- Before rebirth, a phoenix always burns up in flames.
If the phoenix has taught us anything, it’s that sometimes you have to say goodbye to something before you can be reborn as a better, stronger, happier person, whether in classic literature, movies, or even the Harry Potter novels.
Consider that you are going through a problem right now because something greater is waiting for you out there. Perhaps losing your job is the best thing you’ve ever done, and you just don’t realize it. Losing a job that makes you feel secure yet unchallenged could indicate that your real career hasn’t started yet.
Perhaps the injuries that caused you to return to your hometown for help will allow you to reconnect with the people you care about. Perhaps the current crisis of faith will actually increase your faith.
Whatever the situation may be, you won’t be able to flip this page in your life’s tale unless you’re ready to let go.
When we cling to those pages, life will sometimes change the page for us. We may not be prepared, but until you take action, you will never know what the future has for you.