How To Bounce Back When Things Go Wrong

If you know me, even just a little bit, you’ll know that I’m the sort of gal that likes to walk on the sunny side of the street. It’s pretty standard that I come armed with a huge dose of positive thinking and I always try to see the good in people and situations. It’s the way I am, and I wouldn’t change it for anything.

But what happens when something goes wrong? Like, really wrong? And then something else happens? And suddenly, something else after that? How do you stay happy when it all goes belly-up? Well, actually…that’s kind of what has happened to me this year, and it’s made me look at how I deal with stressful situations and try to keep it together when things seem to be (sometimes literally!) falling to pieces.

This post isn’t about how to feel sorry for yourself though - it’s all about bouncing back and sharing what I’ve found helpful when life throws you a curveball (or three!) out of the blue. It’s what has worked for me in order to stay focused and, most importantly, stay smiling. I hope that it might help some of you, too. Aside from looking up at the sky some mornings and thinking you gotta be kidding me, here are a few other things that I’ve tried and tested…

Stay Calm. Kind of an obvious one, I know. But seriously, take a moment and just breathe. Remind yourself that whatever is happening is only temporary and (depending on the circumstances) that in a month, six months, a year even, things WILL be different. Think about what makes you happy and use that image to relax your mind for a few minutes.

Write It Down. Make a plan. Make a list. Make 10 lists, if that helps! Look at where you are now, then where you want to be when this is all over. Then, start to fill in the gaps with what will need to happen and/ or what you’ll need to do to get there. I can’t emphasise this one enough, I find it really helps me to feel like I’ve taken back control!

Talk To People. It’s OK to not be the strong one all the time and tell someone what you’re going through. You might even find someone that has experienced the same thing and can offer you specific advice on how they handled it. It’s much healthier to chat about it than keep all your feelings bottled up, trust me.

Move Forward. You’re allowed to wallow, and if it helps you to work through a few unexpected feelings like sadness, frustration and feeling worried, then take some time to do that. But you’ll feel much better when you start to get moving again, because that’s how you make progress. Things might not go back to normal immediately or you might not feel like your old self again overnight, but working towards that is what counts.

Focus On The Good. Is there anything positive to take from your circumstances? Have you learned something new? Are you being compensated in some way? Has this brought you and a loved one closer together? There will often be a silver lining, and sometimes focusing on that will help with the other points I’ve mentioned.

Life is amazing and exciting, but it’s also full of unexpected twists. We can either let the latter knock the wind out of our sails, or we can bounce back and feel empowered. I know what I’d rather do, will you join me?

With endless love and good vibes,