Finding Joy In Hard Times
As sure as night follows day, there will be times in your life when things just do not go your way. The reality is, life really is a constant fluctuation of emotional high and lows.
Hardly anyone searches for ways for how to deal with the highs in life, but dealing with the lows we encounter can be difficult. Today we are facing a situation like never before as a Pandemic causes a global health crisis, affecting people in profound and surreal ways.
Everything that surrounds getting through this pandemic is based in suffering and pain, its just the nature of the beast. Death, isolation, fear, facing the unknown and grief and loss can strip of us our joy and may lead to depression.
While you cannot control what happens outside your door, you CAN control
yourself. There are things you can do to maintain a positive and even
joyful mindset.
In this discussion, we are going to talk about three tips for doing just that.
Surround Yourself With The Right People
It has been stated that we are the sum total of the 5 people we choose to surround ourselves with most often. If that is so, and if we want to retain our joy, then it is imperative that we get the right people around us, especially when we are going through a difficult time. It is so easy to retreat into the solitude and privacy of our own homes in those times when we feel as though life is really beating us up and we cannot see a way out or a way forward. Instead we feel like throwing the covers over our head and be left alone with our thoughts and swirling emotions.
Sometimes periods of solitude and healthy..and necessary. Currently, isolation is the new norm as we navigate our way through this health Pandemic. However, when you find yourself in a really low spot, or situation where you are robbed of your joy, it is vitally important to connect with those whose company you enjoy and whom make you happy.
Even though it may be obvious to avoid people who drag you down, it can still be quite a battle, especially if family members are involved. However, when you are already struggling to find joy in your current situation, it is especially important to distance yourself from negative individuals.
You can stay connected during Shelter In Place orders, when you are isolating at home to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Technology has seen to that.
- Video calls and Face-Time
- Skype
- A simple phone call
- Text
- Video conferencing software such as Zoom allows friends and family to come together while staying safe and following health official’s orders.
- The basics of good old-fashioned letter writing
Remember: Nothing Is Permanent
“THIS TOO SHALL PASS”
The truth is, nothing in life is permanent. And we can be glad of that in times like we are currently experiencing, nothing in life is permanent! It is so vitally important that we remember that – this time will surely pass.
We do not like to think about the temporary nature of each season in life during periods of extreme happiness and joy, it is not something we like to dwell on.
On the contrary, it is beneficial to keeping this truth in mind during the low times. Whatever you may currently be going through, and no matter how extreme and difficult it is right now, remember … it WILL end.
In fact, most of the difficult times you experience in life will end without any extra effort on your part. It is so easy to get into the mentality that we have to put forth an immense amount of effort to make something bad go away.
Even though this is sometimes the case, most of the time, TIME is the only remedy for tough situations. If you want to maximize your joy during difficult times, remember that your situation is not the way things are, only the way they are RIGHT NOW.
Base Your Happiness On Yourself
Since we have discussed how life is divided into highs and lows and the fact that nothing lasts forever, this leads to another thing to keep in mind during the best AND the worst periods.
Your joy absolutely cannot be dictated by your circumstances, if you want to have joy on a consistent basis,
You will go through life in a state of emotional exhaustion if you allow the good things that happen boost you up on to cloud nine, and the negative situations to send you crashing to earth. Sustainable, stable and consistent joy can only be created by you, and found within you.
It has been said that life is far less about what happens to you and far more about how you react to it. You…. and only you are the one who is in control of your feelings.
What happens is about the same for everybody it’s what people do that makes the difference.