How to stay positive in challenging times

We all know how it feels when life starts to get on top of us, whether it’s from a hard time at work, a tricky personal situation or from sheer burnout. When the fog starts to descend, it can be really hard to maintain a positive headspace—however doing so is crucial to navigating your way through the challenge.

Here are our top tips to staying positive while working through tough and challenging situations.

TAKE TIME WHEN YOU NEED IT

In an era that glorifies the busy, it can often be hard to take a step back from whatever situation is causing you stress. Time out, however, is key to regaining a sense of control over your life and creating some much-needed space between you and your problems.

If it’s work that’s causing you stress, taking a day away from the situation and focusing on your own wellbeing can quickly put you back on an even keel—and create a sense clarity that will help you navigate the situation with greater ease upon your return.

Likewise, if it’s a relationship that you’re finding challenging, a few days away can do you—and your mindset—the world of good.

FOCUS ON WELLNESS

When you’re in the thick of a stressful period, it can be easy to sacrifice sleep, your workout routine and healthy eating in favour of late nights at the office, crashing on the couch during any downtime and convenience food that offers no nutritious value whatsoever.

Prioritising healthy food (meal prep for the win!), an hour a day for exercise (whether that’s a no-holds-barred HIIT workout at the gym or a walk around the lake listening to a podcast—any movement is good movement) and making sure you get adequate rest (everyone thrives off a different amount of sleep—but aim for 7 hours minimum per night) will really assist you in maintaining a positive mindset, which in turn will help you work through potential challenges.

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVE PEOPLE

Have you ever heard the saying that you are the sum of the 5 people you spend the most time with? Well, making sure that these people are positive, supportive and energy-boosting individuals will mean you’re better equipped to deal with potentially difficult situations. Needless to say, neggy Nancy’s not welcome here!

ASK FOR HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT

There’s never any shame in asking for help—whether that’s professional support to talk through your problems, or simply asking a friend to pick the kids up from school so you can tackle a few more tasks on your to-do list. Sometimes a helping hand is all you need to prevent a situation from feeling completely unmanageable; and your mindset will inevitably thank you.

TO DO LISTS TO HELP YOU REGAIN CONTROL

Keeping a to-do list is the holy grail of organisational advice—but for good reason. Once you’ve compiled a note of everything that needs to be done in a list, you’re able to see more clearly where to start and what to prioritise. If your head is feeling cluttered and you’re unable to think clearly with all of the tasks swimming around in your brain—this tip is for you!

GET AN OBJECTIVE OPINION

While we’re not here to dismiss your problems and challenges; we thoroughly recommend getting an objective opinion from a colleague, friend or family member. Often, situations are more manageable than they feel when you’re in the midst of them—and having someone you trust help you to navigate the problem can be key in keeping negative feelings at bay.

FOCUS ON YOUR PROGRESS, NOT THE END GOAL

Ever heard the phrase “progress, not perfection”? We’re huge advocates of this; as we reckon that keeping track of your progress and not just gunning for the end goal helps you to see how far you’ve actually come—and to appreciate the journey instead of focusing solely on reaching the destination. Celebrating the little wins along the way will enable you keep a positive mindset, which will prevent you from feeling overwhelmed or burned out.