How to Face Adversity by Taking Control of Our Attitude
Adversity is something everyone experiences. It’s a part of life and the
quicker we know how to deal with it, the better for us.
By Motunde Sotuminu
Yet, I’ve found out that successful people are what they are, because of the way they handle things. They have more challenges than we do because the world is on them to deliver the best services, come up with innovative ideas, portray their best at all times, attend this conference or that, etc.
However, they’ve learned to master the art of handling adversity. These people have accepted that life will always give you lemons and it’s up to you to make your own lemonade. They’ve realized that attitude is what determines the outcome of that adversity.
Although we are different people and have different challenges, these four steps are key in overcoming any situation you might face:
The buck stops with you. Like Jack Canfield said, “you can’t hire anyone to do your push-ups for you.” You must believe that the situation you’re going through is for a purpose and God has given you the power to overcome it.
It is important to remember that everything that has happened in your life – the good, bad and the ugly – is all shaping you into the person you were born to be. How can we reign if we don’t suffer? Adversity comes to bring out the best in us…..and we must begin to realize that.
The summary of life is going into one trial or coming out of one. Why? It’s the pathway to success. Failure, obstacles, and adversity are all the ingredients to success. They give you life lessons that no lecture in the world can offer.
Struggles bring experience and with experience comes progress. So, learn to trust in ‘you’ when obstacles come your way…the first thing to do is to believe…. “I can do it,” “I can overcome…”
Begin to say these affirmations to yourself and gradually your situation will obey your confession.
This is something people find hard to do when they face adversity. It’s human nature to over-react, worry, and complain. But that doesn’t do anything; instead, it causes heartaches and panic attacks. Think to yourself…When last did worrying ever solve a problem?
Never has and never will. It’s your responsibility to face every adversity with the right mindset and the right attitude. Positivity will always overcome any negative situation. Thoughts are everything. If you think good, you attract good and it’s important to note that consciously and unconsciously we are constantly evoking the law of attraction.
So, when you face adversity……discipline yourself to see the best in it. Though it may not seem so… gradually your positive thinking will turn your situation around for your good. Jim Rohn said, “You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind but you can change yourself.”
What we sometimes fail to realize is that everything you experience today is the result of choices you have made in the past so you can simply change your responses to the situation (the way things are), until you get the outcomes you want.
This is an important thing to consider when facing adversity. Usually, the first thing we do when we have a situation is to call someone and panic….but if that person happens to be a “worrier”, he or she will only dilute your faith and will cause more pain to the situation.
Move with the right kind of people…people of your caliber. One thing Christine Caine said during her testimony of how God healed her of cancer is that “she was careful of who she broke the news too…” I find that so powerful!
That is the same attitude we should have when we face a challenge. Make it your priority of surrounding yourself with the right company and very soon…their words and prayers will influence your situation in a positive way.
Many times when we experience hardships, we take them as misfortunes that have come to mess up our lives and possibly destroy the future we have in store for ourselves. But, what we don’t realize is that they come to help us and teach us lessons.
They shape you into the person you will be five, ten years from now. Adversity is the greatest teacher. It could possibly be the greatest gift on earth. Why? It’s free. We can’t move forward if we don’t mistakes and learn from them. So, when you face adversity, take it as a lesson for a brighter tomorrow.
I’ll leave you a quote by Jack Canfield which summarizes my four tips:
“Change your negative thoughts to positive ones. Change what you daydream about. Change your habits. Change what you read. Change your friends and change how you talk about yourself and others.”