Sometimes it can be hard for us to find the good in everyday life, especially during these trying times. Although everyone faces different struggles daily, if we look for tips and tricks to put into practice, there are actually a lot of ways to find the good in bad situations. Here are a few of the ways I have found to conquer the tough times.
Stay in the present:
This may sound like opposite of what you want to do when things are in turmoil; however, the real issue comes from not the actual negative experience itself, but the worrying about it before it happens or reliving it over and over after it happens. To ease this struggle, focus on what is happening right now, in this moment. Take a deep breath and focus on your each of your senses, taking note of what you see, hear, taste, touch, and smell. This will keep your mind from wandering into worry about things that have yet to happen or that are already over.
Hi and Lo:
When my kids were young and we gathered around the dinner table, it was sometimes hard to get everyone to talk about their day. When I’d simply ask, ‘How was your day?’ I would be met with a dry ‘fine.’ So I devised a game called Hi and Lo. A conversation starter. We would go around the table and each person had to give a Hi and a Lo from their day. This gave everyone not only a chance to tell about all the good things that happened but to be honest and real about their feelings and get some release by getting the bad out in the open as well. Even on the worst days, everyone has to try and focus and FIND THE GOOD in small things, like taking off your shoes at the end of a long day or enjoying their favorite meal.
Help someone else:
One of the best ways to deal with a hard phase of life is to get outside yourself. When we are conscious of other people and their struggles, the resulting compassion is what helps us both. Make a donation to a charity, leave a tip for the mailman, or send a message to those in need of support. These little pay-it-forward actions just might remind you of how many things you have to be grateful for.
Make a list of good things:
I recently read on another blog about another dinner table game called 5 Nice Things. A simple gratitude exercise, the rules are simple. It can be a thing that makes you happy, a compliment for another person, a win at school/work… Just do not over think it and be specific. You can put this into practice in other ways besides at the dinner table… how about we each list 5 Nice Things in the comments below… I’ll go first!
A glass of wine at the end of a long day.
An unexpected Facetime call from my daughter.
The unique and abundant amount of random animal facts my son can provide at any given moment.
Scented candles, wax melts and incense
Laughing until you cry, (or pee your pants in my case)!
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