5 Steps For Fighting Adversity

Learn how to take more control over your own life 

There’s one thing for sure…Gulp

If there's one thing we can all be certain about, it's that we are all going to die one day. Yeah, I said it! And if there's a second thing we can be certain about, it's that we are going to be facing a hell of a lot of adversity along the way. "Whooo! Way to motivate me to get up and attack the day, Kate!" I know it sounds depressing, but the reality is that there is no way we can avoid it. Everyone who has ever lived, and everyone who ever will live is going to (a) die, and (b) face adversity along the way.

Here's Sam, 6 years after his car accident and 80lbs of weight never to be seen again!

Let’s make a plan

If we know that adversity will always be heading our way, don't you think it would be a good idea to develop some sort of strategy for when these moments arise? Me too! There are too many beautiful things life has to offer to curl up into a ball hoping that nothing bad will ever happen. If we can come to grips with the reality that sh*t happens and always will, and develop a strategy for when the sh*t does happen, we can then be proactive rather than reactive.

Proactive =control. Reactive = stress.

When we're proactive about things in our lives, it gives us a better sense of control. When we feel like we're in control, we are all MUCH happier (and less stressed) beings.

Now, I'm sure there are many other effective methods and strategies to achieve this sense of control, but I would like to share with you what has worked for me in the past. I like to keep things as simple as possible, so I've narrowed it down to 5 simple steps. Here they are!

1. Have a solid support system: 

Find people who lift you up and make you feel good.  Do not cling to people who fuel bad habits and are unsupportive of your efforts to better yourself. Surround yourself with encouragement and people/communities who have same goals.

2. Do something when you don't feel like doing it:

This is where the money's at.  When you are at your worst, force  yourself to do something that you don't want to do and celebrate small successes. Doing things when you don't feel like doing them will leave you feeling accomplished- where the magic happens.

Step 3. Be involved in your life-ask questions discover who you really are.

Question everything. Don't fall into a victim patterns-this will only leave you feeling worse and not in control of your own choices. Discover what brings you joy, and do more of that.

4. Ask yourself what you can control:

Unfortunately we can't control other people and what they choose to do or how they may affect us.  The only thing we can do is control our own actions and choices-which is much more powerful than trying to control others.

5. Know that life is not linear-it's ever changing, and it's beautiful:

Life is is a series change. Change is an opportunity for individual development and growth.  If you don't like change, get used to it-it's going to keep happening.  Learn to adapt and adjust. Change makes all of our journeys unique and amazing.

So this is it. Some of these may come easier then others. Start with the ones that are easiest for you to focus on, and begin practicing the steps that you're not as good at. The key word here is practice. It takes time to get better at this, but I promise you, the more mindful you can become of these 5 steps, the more you'll find yourself overcoming adversity and taking control of your life.

I hope this helps. Please don't hesitate to reach out directly if you'd like to chat about this. As always, myself along with the other coaches at our gym are always here to help!