Sometimes the struggles aren’t with the airplane or external turbulence, but with the pilot themselves. I’m taking a slight detour from our usual charting path and taking a more personal route this time.
Over the past few months, I’ve experienced some of the most difficult challenges of my life. Struggling with traumatic family events, personal challenges, and the weight of what’s happening in the world around us, I’ve found myself over the past month in a dark place that I seemingly couldn’t pull myself out of. This impacted the consistency of my work as a business owner. However, as I’ve started to find myself again, there are some recommendations I have to offer you or someone you know who may be struggling, which are working for me now and have worked for me in the past.
Here are a few steps you can take for yourself to regain your momentum:
1. Remember Your “Why”
Life may get so overwhelming at times that you even wonder why you’re here, but here’s the key: don’t focus so much on why you’re here but rather focus on why you enjoy the things that you do. Sometimes it’s better to not focus on the bigger picture, but instead just a few details on a section of the image. The little details can give you meaning again, which will eventually develop back into the big picture, but for now, stick to the smaller details of your “why” to help you feel a sense of passion and purpose again.
2. Surround Yourself with Community
If you’re anything like me, your first instinct during a tough time might be to retreat into your own seclusion. While this does have its place, you don’t want to lock yourself in the solitary confinement of your own thoughts for too long. It’s okay to get out occasionally and spend time with family and friends. Maybe you can do something extra special for your significant other if you have one. You can even just say hello to strangers as you pass them in the street. Interaction with others is essential to our well-being. Spend some time with your pets if you have any. According to the American Psychiatric Association, 86% of pet owners reported their pets having a positive impact on their mental health. It’s okay to take space for yourself, but just don’t allow that space to transform into a prison that you aren’t even aware has been created.
3. Integrate Self-Care
One thing we haven’t done enough as a society is prioritize self-care. Life can get so busy at times that we focus on everything else but ourselves. Whether it’s our jobs or businesses, community obligations, or caring for others, we can lose ourselves in the process of finding our way through everything else. You may still be amid your storm, but it’s okay to take your eyes off the thunder and lightning and look within. Integrating self-care can look different for each of us. For some, it may be exercising, meditating, going to church, or taking nature walks; for others, it may be going to therapy, doing an enjoyable activity, or journaling. More than likely, self-care looks like at least one or some of these things for each person. The goal is to be intentional about making time for yourself, even if it’s for 15 minutes per day. Those who are the best at their craft have found a routine and stuck with it; the same should be true of your self-care, because you deserve it.
4. Speak Positive Affirmations
This might sound cliché, but words truly matter, and thoughts can shape reality. You might be so frustrated with life that you feel like you have nothing good to say, so I challenge you to lie to yourself. Yes, that sounds insane but if you don’t believe in anything positive right now, I challenge you to speak as if you do. You may feel as though you’re lying to yourself, but you’re still putting it into the atmosphere. The same way you don’t always see or smell the exhaust from your car while you’re driving, it’s still going into the atmosphere. When you consciously say something enough times, it eventually leaks into your subconsciousness, which will begin to make changes inside of your brain. Start by writing them down first and then reciting them when you first wake up, right before you go to bed, or any other time that works for your schedule. You’ll be surprised at how your perspective will begin to change, and before you know it, so will your circumstances.
5. Restart at Your Own Pace
Finally, once you’ve decided to integrate any or all the other tips above, restart at your own pace. Restarting looks different for everyone, but it’s truly getting your head back in the game. Many of us physically go through the motions of day-to-day life, but we aren’t truly there mentally when we’re struggling internally. This tip goes back to the “why” because once you understand why you love something, it’s a little bit easier to start integrating yourself back into it. Restarting doesn’t mean failure; it’s your halftime break – it’s your chance to process what happened in the first half, take a rest, and understand that it’s not over just because you’re down now. You will find your rhythm again; just understand that it’s okay if it takes time and give yourself permission to make mistakes and go through the turbulence of getting back on a smooth trail.
Final Thoughts
Whether your flight got lost along its path, needed an emergency landing, or even crashed, the most important thing is that you’re still here. Opportunities are still in front of you, and you have the chance to make healthy changes to get back in the sky. You’ve made it this far, and it wasn’t due to luck; passion, skills, determination, help along the way, and a little bit of favor have all helped you reach this point, so give yourself a much-deserved pat on your back. It may not be your season now, but this is your time to sow the seeds so that when your season does arrive, you’ll have an abundant harvest ready for you because you kept going. Make your corrections, take time for yourself, and get back in the sky at your own pace; the momentum will follow you.
If you or someone you know needs immediate support, reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Call or text 988, or chat anytime at 988lifeline.org. It’s free and confidential.
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