“No one escapes pain, fear, and suffering. Yet from pain can come wisdom, from fear can come courage, from suffering can come strength – if we have the virtue of resilience.”

― Eric Greitens, Resilience

Last two years we have seen the world go from one crisis to another. Global pandemic, floods, forest fires, economic uncertainty. Whether the source of difficulty in your life is a social problem or a personal one, going through difficult times can really take a toll on both our physical and mental health. 

The way each person approaches and goes through hard times is very individual, that's why there is no one size fits all. However, there are steps that one can take that will make it easier to float in the rough waters and give you self control of your life. 

Today I would like to share some of my favourite ways to go through difficult times in life. Let's get started:

Tip number 1:

Don't be afraid to express your Feelings

Imagine a kettle, now think about what will happen to it if you plug all its holes and do not allow the steam to be released… correct, it will explode. 

Emotions are very similar to that of a kettle, avoiding feeling emotions and not expressing them can lead to build up which can mean either experiencing stress and anxiety or blowing up on your loved ones. 

To prevent this from occurring, talk about your feelings (I know its hard, but it takes time to be comfortable with doing this), if you are like me and do not like sharing your emotions, talk about your emotions out loud with yourself, write about them, do something that will allow yourself to acknowledge how you are feeling and release that tension from within you. This will clear your mind and allow you to proceed to overcoming a difficult period in your life. 

Tip Number 2:

Focus your attention on what you CAN control 

One of the most important things you can do is to understand what exactly you have control of and what things are beyond your control. Is the rising unemployment something you can control? Probably not (or at least not yet) Focusing your attention on things you have no control of will get you nowhere, and you will start to experience anxiety and frustration. 

To battle this, get a hold of things that are within your control (ex. the way you go about writing your English paper). Additionally try to make a list of all the things that you can’t control and slowly give yourself permission to stop worrying about them. 

By focusing on things that are within your control, you will have a positive impact on your mental health and will have higher ownership over your life and your future.

Tip number 3:

Build Your Community

As a kid I remember my mother telling me, “Surround yourself with people that you can trust and that will support you no matter what”. Well, this is even more important when you are an adult. You really want to surround yourself with people who care about your feelings and those that will be there for you when you most need them.

Having support resources is so vital, having someone that can relate to your situation, understand what you're going through and be there to simply listen. 

Tip number 4:

Take the time to understand your self-care routine

Let's all agree, going through hard times can be both physically and psychologically draining. The impacts of constant stress can lead to increased chances of heart attacks, burnout and have a negative impact on your social life and productivity. 

To ensure that you can manage this stress you have to figure out a tactic that works for you. Personally, I enjoy going for a short hike in the woods or taking a warm shower. I find these things help me get my stress levels to optimal and allow me to focus on what I need to achieve. 

Some other common self care tactics that my colleagues use are: reading through their favourite Harry Potter books, doing a high intensity workout, meditating, laughing, calling a friend or writing in a journal.

Tip number 5:

Add a pinch of gratitude

One of my most vivid experiences from middle school was when we had to write down all the things, we were grateful for right before Thanksgiving Day. This experience really allowed me to reflect on all the positive experiences and people that I have in my life. Little did I know this is a common tactic used by psychologists to help people overcome difficult times in life. 

Professionals recommend making a list of all of the people, items, things, places you are grateful for and express your deep appreciation for them. By expressing our gratitude,we will begin to appreciate the good things in our lives and will slowly stop focusing on the negatives. 

Something else you can do is to also to think about one person you are most grateful for and to write a few notes about why you are grateful to them. If you want to take it, one step further you can call that person and express all of the good things you have written about them. 

Incorporating a little bit of gratitude into our lives is extremely powerful, it is something that will allow all the problems in the world to be less significant compared to all the good things and people you currently have in your life. 

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Final Thoughts

The past few years were difficult for all of us, overcoming these problems requires strength, motivation, and willpower. People's ability to overcome times like these is what makes us strong, it is what makes us grow into better version of ourselves.

We will always be faced with difficulties in life. The key is not to forget about the things that make us happy in life, to always have people by our side that will support us through these times and to focus our attention only on things that we truly have control over.

Vladislav Gavrilov

Vice President Students

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