WHEN THE GOING GET’S TOUGH……………….

I haven’t written for over a week, I have had to deal with various distractions and it has been an ‘amazing’ month! Sincerely, it has been quite tough. With all that has happened I am in awe of myself that I am still able to give thanks to God. I give thanks, not because I feel happy about various disappointments and manifestation of human flaws I have had to contend with, but because it’s what God commands.

Thinking about it further, I am actually grateful that I am maturing as a human being. If I had gone though a similar experience over a year ago, I would have sunk into a pity party and withdrawn into a shell of despair, but I am actually more stable at this point. As I ponder at the happenings of the month, I stumble upon an ‘O’ magazine from 2007 with the sub-title ‘what to do when the going gets tough’ I smiled at how timely the article came to my notice and I am amazed at how God seems to bring the message you need per time.

So in summary, what do you do when the going gets tough?

1.      You acknowledge the reality of your situation- As human’s, we are prone to extremism's  we can either pretend all is well and wear our mask and carry along like nothing is wrong, or we can sink into the depths of despair like the world is against us. But a better approach is to acknowledge that what happened actually sucks! You can even share with people who can offer genuine comfort and encouragement, because we all need a shoulder to lean on. Also I have realized that when you acknowledge a problem, it gives room to identify the situation.

2.      Look for the positive in the situation- Yes, what happened was bad and people have been unfair, but the reality is there must be some good in what happened. Open your eyes and heart to find it. For me, my ‘good’ like I pointed out was that I am becoming more mature in handling tough times. The second thing is that despite all the trouble around, the peace within is never lost. I always know I am not alone. What is the positive aspect of your situation, can you identify it? Finding the positive keeps hope alive.

3.      Find a new dream or a new motivation-Someone said a setback is a set up for a comeback. After you have mourned or sulked a little about the situation and you have found some positive light in the dark place, find a new sense of motivation. Motivation or dreams that can motivate you are the things that Oil the wheels of life. Having a compelling dream would get you out of bed in the morning, it would make you stay up late at night and it would put a spring in your step and confidence in your heart.

So when the going gets tough, like they say; the tough get going. I am going to keep moving; I won’t stop or drop off the bus until I get to my destination. And I won’t stop writing as long as I can, so keep reading and look forward to Anastasia’s story soon…………

Stay empowered,

Tale.