Thriving in a Bumpy Life filled with Obstacles

 

Alone

There she was, alone, standing in the field contemplating her life, unaware she had company. But her ever-constant, fierce and spiritual spirits never left her side. Her guiding spirits knew she would not only survive, she would thrive.

The spirits began to softly whisper in her ear: "Peace be with you. You are strong and resilient. Life will come good again. You will survive. You will thrive."

Life is a Bumpy Ride filled with Obstacles

'If you're going through Hell...just keep going.' Winston Churchill

This is the thing about life--it's a bumpy ride filled with obstacles. With life being what it is, sometimes our dreams collide with a reality that's a bit different than we imagined it. But as Winston Churchill said, 'If you're going through Hell...just keep going.' We hone our problem-solving and communication skills each time we navigate difficulties. 

So what's a girl to do when she runs into difficulties?  Keep going. Take the next step. Buck up. Get back in there and figure out your options for moving forward.

'Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off the goal.' Henry Ford 

When you meet a moment of difficulty and self doubt, learn to interpret it as your cue to refocus your attention on your goals and away from the obstacles. What do you want your life to look and feel like? What do you need to do to move it in that direction?

Re-framing for Better Results: From Obstacles to Challenges

If you let them, obstacles stop you in your tracks. But if you re-imagine obstacles as challenges, you'll energize yourself to find your strength and smarts and step up to the challenge of staying on course and doing better. Renaming obstacles as challenges puts your eyes back on your life goals. 

Accept daily life challenges as a normal part of life that makes you stronger and more competent each time you choose to problem-solve your way through them. Envision the life you want, then rise to the challenge of meeting your life head-on to figure out what you need to do to get there. 

Find ways to use your current challenges to move you further toward what you want--even if the message is 'I've had enough and it's time to move on'. The tough times show us what we don't want in life and serve to propel us towards what we do want. That's the challenge and the opportunity.


Your patience and persistence in pursuing the life you desire ultimately pays off. Trust your inner strength and willingness to always take the next step to meet life challenges. When you hit a rough patch, put your head down and endure what you can not escape to get through the tough times and get back to the good times.

Trust me--you got this, Girl!

'If you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere.' Frank A. Clark

  

Keep Your Eye on the Goal

Forward Thinking: Imagining Your Life Ahead

Take a moment to look into the future imagining different outcomes for your current situation. Consider what your life would look like by keeping the status quo or changing things up. Listen to your gut or intuition. Consider what you want your life to be.  Here are two common situations to think through.

Stay in the Relationship or Move On

💓 It's 5 years down the road and I'm still in this relationship: What made me stay? What does the relationship look like? How has my life improved or worsened? How do I feel?  How did I overcome obstacles? What did I do to speak up? What changes did I make to make me feel safe and comfortable staying?

 

💔 It's 5 years down the road and I long ago left the relationship: What happened to make me move on? What was I dissatisfied with in the relationship? How has my life improved? What steps did I take to make me feel safe with changes?

 
💓 It's 5 years down the road and I'm loving my life: What am I doing? Where am I doing it? Who is in my life?

Stay in Current Career/Job or Move On?

💓 It's 5 years down the road and I'm still with this company or in this business: What made me stay? What does the work look like? What do the hours, pay and benefits look like? How does the job fit my lifestyle? 

 

💔 It's 5 years down the road and I long ago left the company or business: What happened to make me move on? What was I dissatisfied with in the company or career? Hours? Pay? Benefits? Management Style? Lack of Advancement Opportunities? Poor job fit for my skills?

💓 It's 5 years down the road and I'm loving my work: What am I doing? Where am I doing it? How much money am I making? 

Current Thinking to Align with Your Career Goals 

 💙 Why did I take my current job? How do/did I see it as a stepping stone for advancing? What's my 5 year plan?  

 

💚 What am I willing to do differently to make more money, utilize my talents better, or have more satisfaction in my work? Who can I ask for advice? 

 

💛 What have I learned in this job? What skills have I built or honed I can use to promote myself for my next position? How has this experience shown me I can handle whatever life throws me with grace and ease? How will I be strengthened by my experience with this job that will make me better for the next one?

 

💜 How can I make the best use of my time while I'm still in this job to help me move to a better position? Is there job training I can take advantage of? Can I ask to take on a job or project to learn something new? Can I use this time to self-study for a licensing exam to position me for more money or opportunity? Can I speak up about the type of training/instruction I need to better function in the job?

 

I love moving my life forward