Dealing with difficult situations and worries can be a challenge, but there are several strategies that can help you become more resilient. Below are some valuable tips to support you during crisis moments and reduce worrying.
Tips to overcome setbacks and reduce worries
- Accept uncertainty: Worry often arises from frustration over uncertainty. Remember that uncertainty is neutral and let go of the need to have everything under control.
- Identify your worries and handle them logically: Write down what bothers you the most and address each problem logically. For example, look for more information or consult a doctor.
- Seek support among family and friends: Ask them to help you shift your attention from worrying to realistic possibilities.
- Don’t focus on what might not happen: Remind yourself that you only need to make a plan when a problem really occurs. But you can be realistic and anticipate what will indeed happen with certainty.
- Consciously turn away from worries: Draw up an action plan for urgent problems and focus on interesting or intriguing things.
- Be patient with yourself: Unlearning worry takes time. Remind yourself that you need to let go of some thoughts if you can’t come up with a solution.
- Live in the moment: Practice taking each day as it comes and enjoy the simple things in life.
- Seek a new balance on a physical, psychological, social, and existential level: Give your body the chance to adapt and restore relationships that have been shaken.
- See new experiences as challenges instead of threats: Be curious and open to new experiences.
- Look at life from the sunny side: Look for bright spots and focus on the things that are going well. What brings you joy? Look for this consciously.
- Build your network: Look for people you can trust and feel comfortable with. Actively look for a helping hand.
- See if you can learn something from your experiences: Try to make sense of what has happened to you and help others in a same situation.
- Try to see things in perspective: Seek distraction in other things and help others so you are not always focused on yourself.
Give me the courage to change what I can change. Give me the wisdom to accept what I cannot change. Give me the insight to see the difference between the two. (Francis of Assisi)