We have all been through periods of our life when things feel tough. But it can be more than that. There are times when everything feels tough. Work, finances, relationships, emotions, health scares. Occasionally in my work I meet someone going through all of these things all at the same time. There is no way to sugar coat it. Those times are seriously testing. It may even make you consider the whole purpose of life.

These are not times for finessing the diet and worrying about getting enough protein in!

They are times for hunkering down; digging in; reaching out for supports; and holding tight to those things that help steady the ship. Sharing the load with a trusted friend or even talking to a counsellor, psychologist or family doctor can be helpful. Going back to those things that help you maintain some sense of normalcy whilst things stabilise such as exercise, extra sleep, meditation, prayer, quiet reflection are useful anchors.

A positive affirmation that you can constantly fall back to will be helpful. “This too will pass”. “I have the strength to pull through”. “Everything happens for a reason”. Whether the affirmation is true in reality is immaterial. It helps you in the moment.

Journaling can be very helpful. Not only does it put on paper what you are going through at the time, it helps remind you of what others maybe going through. “Everyone has to face their own battle”. It helps you be a compassionate human when you hear of someone else suffering. “Life is not just for the good times”.

Holding firm and hanging in there till times change is a life skill that we all need to master.

Food for Thought

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