Staying strong during challenging times 2021
The current unrest in our country with looters storming shopping malls and taking what they can, while leaving a trail of destruction behind them, has added to the tremendous stress and anxiety South Africans are experiencing in the midst of the Covid 19 pandemic.
Staying strong during challenging times
It’s hard to be positive and optimistic when you’re lost in the murky waters of negative thinking.
No one expected COVID-19 to be around this long. It has taken a toll on everyone, whether directly or indirectly, and it has affected our daily lives for more than a year now. On top of this, we are now also faced with an extremely unsettling situation in our country and many are confronted with serious challenges in terms of food security, job losses and devastating surroundings.
Under all this stress, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and frustrated, which in turn can affect everyone around you. No one wants to struggle with the uncertainty that the current situation presents but embracing a positive attitude can have real benefits.
Mental health plays a major role in the attitude and wellbeing of everyone. Keeping positive for a brighter future is one of the many tools we can use to overcome anything we go through.
Building emotional resilience
Emotional intelligence is often defined as reacting well and strategically to bad experiences and stressful situations. When these instances occur our emotions may go into meltdown. But it is not just there for extreme circumstances, good resilience helps you deal with approaching those days where nothing seems to go right.
Here are some helpful steps to take:
Step 1: Ask yourself the right questions
This is the simplest but perhaps also the most important habit in adopting an optimistic mindset. The questions we ask ourselves day in and day out when we wind up in negative, difficult, or uncertain situations make all the difference in our lives.
A pessimist might ask him/herself questions like:
“Why did this happen to me?”
“Why do bad things happen to me all the time?”
But an optimist asks him/herself the questions that open up the mind to new viewpoints and possibilities. A few questions for finding the optimistic perspective are:
“What is one good thing about this situation?”
“What can I learn from this situation?”
“What is one small step I can take today to start solving this situation?”
Step 2: Create a positive environment to live in
The people you spend your time with and the information you allow to influence your mind will have a huge effect on your attitude and how you think about things.
Step 3: Practice gratitude
A very simple and quick way to boost the positive energy in your life is to tap into gratitude.
One strategy to spread positivity in your life is by practicing gratitude on a regular basis. Although every day is full of positive events and happy moments, we often tend to focus on negative details. To let go of this bad habit, we need to rewire our brains towards positivity, and the best way to do this is through gratitude.
Thinking of 3 to 5 things every single day that you’re grateful for helps open your eyes to all the beautiful things and joyful moments life has to offer. An inspiring conversation with a friend, a privileged opportunity you’ve taken for granted, or an unexpected act of kindness. Becoming aware and celebrating those moments makes a huge difference in how we experience the world.
Step 4: Don’t forget about your physical self
Being an optimist isn’t just about thinking in a different way. It is also about caring for the physical part of yourself.
Step 5: Start your day in an optimistic way
The way you start your morning can set the tone for the rest of your day. For example, a stress-free morning often leads to less stress during the rest of the day.
Step 6: Focus on solutions
A sure way to feel more negative about a situation is to sit around and do nothing about it. Instead, use the optimistic questions in step one and open up your mind to the possibilities of the situation you are in.
Step 7: Reduce your worries
The worrying habit is a powerful and destructive one and can take over anyone’s thinking.
Step 8: Don’t let ideals ruin things
A common mistake people make when making a shift in their attitudes is that they think that they have to be perfect and do things perfectly all the time. This traps them from being positive. Changing to a positive mindset can be gradual process. While you may slip and stumble, continuing this way over time will strengthen your positive viewpoint more and more.
Step 9: Do not give up
By taking action rather than giving up, something good will always happen.
When to Seek Help
If you are finding it difficult to think positively and instead feel like negative thoughts or emotions are taking over your life, you should talk to a social worker/therapist/psychologist. Negative emotions that are causing distress or interfering with your ability to function normally may be a sign of a mental health condition such as depression or anxiety.
A mental health professional can evaluate your symptoms and recommend treatments that can help. Professional counselling can address symptoms and improve your ability to think more positively.
