I’m currently working with a client who’s going through an incredibly challenging time in his life.
After over 25 years of following a traditional path and working his way up to VP of his company, he decided to take a risk, quitting his job in order to start his own business.
Unfortunately, things haven’t worked out as he wanted or expected. Unable to get his business off the ground and unable to find employment comparable to what he did before, he is now floundering.
What he’s experiencing is, of course, normal. I suspect we’ve all been there at some point in our lives. Whether it’s the end of a relationship, a job loss, a death of someone important to us, or something else entirely, we’ve all been knocked down by life. And most of us have been knocked down multiple times.
At some point, we need to get back up and start living our lives again. But normally when we’ve been knocked down, it’s best to stay knocked down for a bit, letting ourselves and our wounds heal slowly.
At the same time, we still need to take care of ourselves. And treating ourselves well is an important part of our recovery and moving onto whatever is next in our lives.
Here are 8 ideas for taking care of ourselves when life knocks us down.
1. Get out into nature
There are few things that can rejuvenate the soul like spending time in nature, whether it’s going for a walk in the forest, swimming in the ocean, or sitting by a lake. Being in nature reminds us that we’re just a small part of a much larger universe and helps puts our challenges in perspective.
Whenever you’re going through a challenging time, spending regular time in nature is one of the best things you can do to heal your heart and soul.
2. Stay in touch with your body
When we’re going through a tough time, we often get stuck in our thoughts, ruminating over our past, wondering what we could have done differently.
In doing so, we lose touch with the wisdom of our bodies. Staying connected to our bodies during challenging times – whether through yoga, massage, exercise, or any other physical practice – helps remind us that we are so much more than just the thoughts. spinning around our heads.
3. Keep to a routine
Often, when we’re knocked down, we let go of the daily routines that keep us grounded and focused. In fact, this is the very time in our lives when we need those routines the most!
Whether it’s eating healthy, going to bed early, or meditating, these healthy routines help remind us that we’re important and that we matter. And sticking to a routine when we’re struggling also means we don’t have to start all over again once we’ve moved past our struggles.
4. Practice daily gratitude
No matter what challenge we’re going through, there’s always lots in life to be grateful for. It’s easy to lose touch with those things when we’ve been knocked down.
Practicing gratitude on a daily basis allows us to see beyond our challenges to the larger truth of our lives – that our lives are made up of so much more than our current struggles.
5. Remember to laugh regularly
No matter what it takes, make sure you laugh regularly when you’re going through a tough time. Laughing always feels good and improves our spirits.
If you can laugh at yourself, then great! That will help remind you not to take life and your challenges so seriously. If not, then find something else to laugh at in order to release endorphins into the brain and improve your mood.
6. Share your struggles with others
Often when we’ve been knocked down we feel like we’re the only one going through a tough time. This, in turn, makes us feel more alone and we start to isolate ourselves from others.
Instead, we’re better off reaching out and sharing what we’re going through with a few people that we trust to truly listen to our struggles. While we don’t want to overdo it, sharing our struggles can help us stay connected and release part of our pain.
7. Use a simple mantra
When you’re really struggling a simple mantra can help bring you back to the present. One that I particularly like is “This too shall pass”.
Create one that resonates with you and use it regularly the next time life knocks you for a loop.
We all get knocked down by life from time to time and getting back on our feet can take time Often we need to be patient and accept that it will be awhile before we feel healed and like ourselves again.
And as part of that healing process, we need to take care of ourselves and treat ourselves well. Above are several suggestions for how you can take care of yourself the next time you’re going through a tough time.
Which one resonated with you the most? Or is there a different way that you like to take care of yourself when you’ve been knocked down by life?
By Ed Herzog
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