We all face hard times and even though they suck when we’re going through them, almost all of the time we come out the other end stronger, better for it or at least we learn something we needed to learn.
I believe we can and should create hard times in the form of ice baths, hard workouts or taking on difficult challenges, on purpose, to force ourselves to face adversity head on, settle our egos and grow. “Iron forges Iron”
Life is short and we only have enough energy to invest in a few things with full focus and effort, we don’t have time to constantly be getting knocked down and getting back up. We need to focus our energies on the things that help us grow and improve. Getting out of our comfort zones doing hard exercise and pushing our limits releases feel good hormones into the body, helps manage our stresses to create more positive experiences.
Here’s a list of things we can do and things I use to help stay productive and positive….
Hitting a punch bag. There's nothing to gain from taking things out on others. If I do find myself getting annoyed or angry, I find there’s nothing better than hitting the bag, doing Slamball slams or doing a hard workout to settle my emotional state.
Taking a pause between what happens and our reactions. Victor E Frankl, author of Man’s Search For Meaning says, “Between stimulus and response there is a space. And in that space is our power to choose our response in our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
Know that everyone is on their own path. We shouldn't get frustrated with others, most of the time they are just trying to negotiate their way through their own busy life.
Try to be nice, even in the face of anger and disappointment, take a moment and remember the person you're getting annoyed at is a human being.
Breath work and breathing routines. Having a good breathing practice can be the difference between losing or staying in control of our emotions.
All this along with regular hard workouts, cold water emersion and a deeper understanding that it is my choice how we react to life’s challenges.
We are capable of controlling our emotions. Purposely seeking discomfort in ways which will shape and mold us in to a stronger version of ourselves is something I believe we should all do.
How will you direct your energy and focus?