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When Everything Goes Wrong

By coachnorm on March 17, 2015 in advice

When everything goes wrong, remember:

  1. Everything is temporary, even this.
  2. Happiness is a result of your approach to life, not what happens to you.
  3. The things, even those that seem small, that are going right in your life.
  4. The people who are in your corner.
  5. What you care about most and what you can let go of.
  6. That you ultimately choose how you react.
  7. Your resilience in other tough situations.
  8. Bad times don’t define you, but your approach does.
  9. Worrying, anger, complaining, denial or any of the infinite other ways we try to circumvent pain when things go wrong won’t change the situation.

Don’t:

  1. Panic or get too far ahead of yourself.
  2. Go immediately to blame and criticism.
  3. Lash out.
  4. Self-destruct or numb yourself.
  5. Neglect your needs.
  6. Ignore your intuition.
  7. Focus on what should have been instead of what is.
  8. Try to control what is out of your control.
  9. Remind yourself of every other terrible thing that has ever happened to you.
  10. Ask “what if” or “why me” without also reminding yourself of what’s possible and what makes you strong.
  11. Focus on others’ opinions, because they’re a reflection of the speaker, not you.
  12. Worry about who you are or are not impressing.

Do:

  1. Accept, accept, accept.
  2. Stick to the present. Rather than worrying about the future or dwelling on the past, focus on what is actually happening now and what is actually in your power to do now.
  3. Focus on realistic expectations for yourself and the situation.
  4. Differentiate what you can and what you cannot change.
  5. Take one step, then another. Even if they’re just baby steps, keep moving.
  6. Rather than focusing on the worst case, think instead of what else is possible.
  7. Look for the lesson. Challenging situations can often teach us what we have left to learn.
  8. Keep a positive attitude by remaining focused on solutions, skills, and strengths.
  9. Start small.
  10. Spend time with the people who support you.
  11. Appreciate the things going well, savor simple pleasures, and try to find the hidden gifts in the difficult times.
  12. Take care of yourself.
  13. Treat yourself with love and respect.
  14. Rejuvenate rather than simply tuning out or unplugging.
  15. Ask for help sooner rather than later.
  16. Consult or get a second opinion.
  17. Take the steps you need to keep working toward what you want in life.
  18. Sometimes we are too close to a situation to see it for what it is. Try looking at the situation from someone else’s point of view.
  19. Give it the test of time. Ask yourself if this will mean the same thing in one, five, or 10 years. Look at the situation as a relatively short segment in the timeline of your life.
  20. Move, your body that is. Get moving to discharge energy. Walk 10 minutes in any direction starting wherever you are then turn around. Go for a swim. Plan a hike.
  21. Watch a comedy. Call up a bubbly friend. Consider the stand-up routine version of this situation.
  22. Help someone else in need.
  23. Vent your frustrations about this situation, brainstorm strategies to get out of it, or write about a more positive time in your life.
  24. Find a creative outlet.
  25. Read and reread motivational, inspirational, or encouraging words from others.
  26. Get outdoors and get inspired. Watch the sun rise or set. Listen to the birds. Take it all in to gain perspective.
  27. Give yourself a minute to regroup. Assess damages, sort out what can and cannot be done, or just get out of the middle of the situation.
  28. Choose one big goal to work on in order to make a lasting change.

About the Author

About the Author: Co-founded By Kids For Kids with daughter Cassidy to create a company that: - empowers kids to innovate and develop critical and creative thinking skills - provides teachers, parents, and youth organizations with FREE supplemental educational materials - positions underwriters to fulfill corporate social responsibility initiatives with meaningful educational programs and outreach - motivates and rewards teachers, students, and parents with celebration events and prizing including scholarships, grants, and gift cards A recognized pioneer and visionary in the field of youth innovation and empowerment, Norm is the recipient of a Congressional leadership award and one of CNN's 2007 "Ten National Innovators" changing lives in America. .
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