By Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah
All people who achieved or are achieving great heights in life were or are the people who once faced or are facing the most difficult times in their lives but like an airplane, they rose or are rising against the wind. The resolve to soldier on becomes the catalyst.
After all, the same author penned that “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” It is your personal decision. For, it has nothing to do with religious creed or academic attainment or political shrewdness; rather, it has everything to do with psychology-mental strength.
Every time, experience has availed it that the best thing one can do is to avoid dwelling on what went or is going wrong and to simply focus on some under listed tips. So, here are a few things to remember when everything seems to be going wrong:
-MOST OF YOUR PROBLEMS ARE TEMPORARY
Always remind yourself that things will get better eventually and never lose hope because given challenges won’t be there forever.
-YOU DO HAVE SOME CONTROL OF THE SITUATION
You can actually decide how you want to look at any given challenge and how you perceive it. You can always control your attitude and the way you react to what life offers you even if you are not in complete control of that situation. Always try to focus on the things you can influence instead of feeling hopeless and powerless, without trying to do anything in order to change that.
-NOT EVERYTHING IS GOING WRONG
Even though you may feel overwhelmed by some challenges you face but when you take a closer look, you’ll notice that not all things are going wrong and that you still have a lot of things to be grateful for. Do this, and just like Amy Morin (adjunct College Psychology instructor) said, “Purposely look for the positive, even if it is something very small.”
YOU HAVE OVERCOME A LOT OF OTHER PAST DIFFICULTIES
Try to always remember that in the past, you overcame a lot of other more daunting challenges and that they all turned out good. Also, don’t minimize the importance of those problems you’ve dealt with successfully, because by always reminding yourself that you have all the resources and mental capacity you need to deal with all kinds of issues, you’ll increase your self-confidence and boost your self-esteem.
YOU CAN HANDLE THIS
You can surmount whatever challenge that appear in your path if you believe in yourself, don’t give up and declare defeat. Some challenges are necessary towards making us discover hidden talents or traits or capacities in us. You can get through anything.
YOU CAN ALWAYS ASK FOR HELP
When things get tough, after you must have done your part, you can always ask for help but don’t ask for help when you have not done anything. Psychology has it that your helper is energised to lend a hand when there is a figment of your own practical effort. This doesn’t mean that you are weak or incapable of taking care of your own problems. Just that, you’ve reached a point where you realize that you need other people’s support in order to feel better again. There’s nothing to be ashamed of! Just like Rona Bvarrett, (columnist and businesswoman) said, “The strong individual is the one who asks for help when they need it.”
-MUCH OF THIS WON’T MATTER IN A FEW YEARS
Most of the things you worry about today won’t matter in a few years, so please follow Amy Morin’s advice and “Remind yourself that whatever is going wrong now is only a small percentage of your actual life. Even if you’re dealing with a major problem, like a loved one’s illness, remember that a lot of good things are likely to happen in the course of a year or two as well.”
When you’re facing a challenge, it’s extremely important to never lose hope. There’s always a way out of every situation and you have all the resources you need to overcome all the difficulties that may appear in your path.
Today’s theme is motivated by so many requests touching on this topic and it is my belief that you know that every challenge you face has expiry date because they wont matter again in few years from now. Have a blessed Saturday!
– Dr. Ogah is the Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development