7 Ways To Master The Art Of Bouncing Back When Life Knocks You Down

Life can be a complex journey with many ups and downs. It is filled with both challenges and accomplishments.

No one is successful at everything, just as no one fails at everything. We all have at least one thing we are or can be good at doing.

However, when we go through challenging phases, we often dwell more on the bad experiences and end up feeling self-loathing and judgmental.

Pitfalls are a part of life, whether we like it or not. What matters is that we don’t bury ourselves in the grungy old pit and decide to spend the rest of our lives there.

We surely need time to come to terms with the changes that come from difficulties in life, but once the grieving phase is over, it's important to move on.

When life knocks you down, there are always two choices: Get up and move on or stay in that dark pit and live the rest of your life with resentment and regret. The latter will take you nowhere and things will probably get worse with time.

So, the best option we have is to pick up the broken pieces and start moving forward again.

After all, our lives are made up of all the choices we have made so far. Sometimes, things happen that are out of our control, but for the most part, our lives are the answers to a series of decisions that "we" have made.

We are responsible for most of the outcomes because they are results of the decisions we make every day.

Sh*t happens in everyone’s life. No matter how happy or successful a person looks on the outside, there is always a story or a set of challenges he or she faces or has faced in the past.

What makes people stand out is how they overcome their challenges and consciously choose to stay positive. What makes them different to the rest of the crowd is their "attitude" toward life.

If you are going through a rough patch, here are some tips to help you get by:

1. Take Five

Sometimes, we need breaks from things that have been parts of our lives for a long time. It could be because we need to learn something new or take a completely different direction.

Life is not as random as it seems; there is always a reason why things happen. So, take a break to clear up your mind. It’ll help you understand part of, if not the whole picture.

2. Avoid Overthinking

Overthinking has helped no one in this world. Someone once wisely said, “Worrying is like a rocking chair, it keeps you busy but takes you nowhere.” In fact, overthinking creates problems that didn't even exist in the first place.

Try to engage your mind in healthy activities. Do things that make you feel good and don’t allow your mind to wander. Focus on the present and learn to accept what is. Understand that you can’t control everything.

Learn to trust yourself, even in the most difficult situations and know that, eventually, everything will fall into place.

3. Use The Lows To Learn And Evolve

Challenges come our way for a reason. Sometimes, they come our way to test our strength, and other times, they are there simply to push us in a different direction than we would have otherwise taken.

Use these challenges to learn and evolve into a wiser and a more responsible human being. Work with dedication and focus on the skills that can be useful to others.

Some of the most successful people in the world have grown the most from their struggles.

4. Clear Your Perspective

Sometimes, life surprises us with incidents we never anticipated happening. These are the times when we learn a lot about human emotions, relationships and the real world, in general.

Difficult situations help us realize the true value of family, real friends and things that have actual importance in our lives. Use this time to clear your mind rather than trying to find ALL the answers. Take a step back, change your perspective and the answers will come to you.

5. Humor Will Help You Get By

Nobody said that by being sad and resentful, things will improve or become as you wish them to be. So, you might as well laugh at your troubles.

If you made a mistake, accept it and allow sh*t to happen because few years down the line, when you share stories with your children or a group of friends, you will most likely end up laughing at them. They won’t sound as horrible as they might appear right now.

You will laugh at how silly you were for taking everything so seriously.

6. Cherish The Good Old Memories

Some memories are wonderful to reflect on and others, not so much. Use this time to reflect on the past, how far you have come and how far you have to go.

Cherish the old times, be grateful for all the opportunities you have had in the past and for everything you have experienced in this world so far. Being grateful attracts more positive energy and will help you bounce back up with ease.

7. Start Fresh

No matter how far you think you have come, you can always start again.

Most people resent and dwell on the mistakes they've made in the past and decide to quit. These type of people are too harsh on themselves and on others, and do not allow any room for mistakes.

This is, by and far, the worst attitude to live with because you will never enjoy anything, since everything has to be so perfect. Perfection is boring; imperfection is what makes us human. We are all special in our own ways and work at different paces.

If you have come to a halt, start again and this time, use your past mistakes as lessons to do better.

Life knocks everyone down, as we all make mistakes and we all have things to learn. It's best to not take any of our tough experiences personally and move on with forgiveness and strength.

Losing what we were once so attached to — a job, a person or an experience — is what makes us free, only if we care enough to realize it.