Facing Life's Challenges: Finding Your Inner Strength

"Happiness is a choice. You can choose to be happy. There's going to be stress in life, but it's your choice whether you let it affect you or not." ~Valerie Bertinelli 

My cousin always tells me things happen how they are supposed to.  I believe that's true.  Things happen for a reason, and because they do, I’ve often contemplated what “the big picture is.”  I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I’ll never know what the Big Plan is from the Person Upstairs.  So I sit back and let it all play out.  

Sometimes life throws us a curve, and we must face them as best as possible.  Without the curves, we’d never recognize the beauty.  Yet the curves can be tough ones to handle.  They can make us feel sad, anxious, or fearful.   We can feel lost in their midst and reach around to find some solid footing again.

Our spirit is tested during times of adversity. Will we wither and spin out of control or rely on our inner strength to pull us through?

Here are some ways I've found to help me during difficult and stressful times:

• Friends and Family: Reach out to others who love and support you.  I am blessed to have people who genuinely care about me, and I turn to them in good times and bad.  People who love you will always be willing to listen.
• Meditation: Meditating is exceptionally beneficial in calming your mind.  Here’s a simple explanation of how to meditate.  Wikihow: How to Meditate
• Prayer: I find a short prayer always lifts my spirit.  Putting a few words together can be powerful no matter who you pray to.
• Journaling: Writing your thoughts in a journal can help calm your mind.  I love the blog “Tiny Buddha.” Here is her blog post about journaling.  Tiny Buddha: Journaling Tips
• Exercise: Exercise is beneficial when dealing with stress.  As The Mayo Clinic says, “Exercise is meditation in motion.”  Here is their article on the relationship between exercise and stress. The Mayo Clinic: Exercise and Stress
• Outlets: I watch old sitcoms (of course, M*A*S*H or The Mary Tyler Moore Show!), movies (my husband and I have watched “His Girl Friday” a zillion times), knit or read when I am facing a difficult situation.  They calm my mind and distract any stressful thoughts.
• Pets: Spending time with our beloved furry friends is a true blessing.  They give us unconditional love.  I am thankful that our wise son insisted we adopt our first cat when he was nine.  Thanks, JT. 

 How do you handle stress and the challenges in your life?

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DISCLAIMER:  Comments from An Empowered Spirit are brought to your attention on topics that could benefit you and should be discussed with your doctor or other medical professional. I am not medically trained, and my posts are journalistic and not instead of medical advice. An Empowered Spirit and its author will not be held liable for any damages incurred from using this blog or any data or links provided.