Surviving and Thriving Through Tough Times - Kathy Caprino

Surviving and Thriving Through Tough Times Many clients have asked me how to keep moving  forward in their lives when whats appearing in their lives is crushingly challenging.   The tips below will help you stay focused and energized, and keep you on your way to your future life visions, despite the bumps that emerge in the present situation.   Dont Let What Appears in the Present Fool You We often forget that whats appearing in our lives today will not last.   One thing is certain in life â€"change is a constant.   What’s occurring in your life and work now is a confluence of many factors (your beliefs and patterns of behaving, the lessons our world and humanity need to learn, etc.).   But your future will look very different if you embrace that possibility.   For instance, if youre struggling with money now, this doesnt necessarily mean you are doomed to battle with money your entire lifetime.     Begin now to see whats happening today as information evidence of what is working well, and what is not.   Use this information to guide you to make some vital changes in your thinking and actions  so that what you dream of can indeed become your reality.   For me, these times have led me to learn the hard way what it means to be a better marketer and communicator of my company’s services, and to be a creator of new, useful programs that are relevant to women in these changing times.   I’ve always found it distasteful to “hawk my wares.”   But there’s a vast difference between “hawking” and getting the word out widely so others know what you offer and do.   I’m getting “hip to my trip” about being shy regarding promoting my services.     I know now that I’ve got to get over it if I want to continue to help people in a big way.   What habit do you need to let go of today that’s holding you back?   Appreciate What You Have While Being Excited for What is Coming When were facing hardship or struggle, its very difficult to achieve a state of appreciation.   But appreciating where you are is essential to bringing into your life  more positive events and circumstances.     Appreciating where you  are means you understand that in some critical ways youve signed up for these challenges co-created them, one could say â€" for your own expansion.   Not on a conscious level, but on a higher dimension.   Embrace what your life is giving you as a way to grow into what you want more of.   Raging against where you are in life is like rolling a ball uphill over and over, and being angry that it keeps rolling back down over you.    Either change how you roll the ball, or stop feeling resentful at what is (or better yet, do both)!   Take time each day to appreciate the good that youve created in your life thus far.   More of it will surely come.   Dont Listen to the Naysayers When youre feeling down about your tough times, you sometimes encounter negative people who think they know better and more than you.   These naysayers often say,I told you so! or I knew that would fail,” or “What were you thinking?”   My best advice is to turn a deaf ear to the naysayers, and focus instead on those who are compassionate, encouraging, and uplifting to you.   Seek out those who believe in you 3000%, who trust in your capabilities without reservation.     Sure, we sometimes need to hear difficult counsel, but make sure the advice you heed is from an empowering, positive, knowing source.   Ignore advice that feels wrong, diminishing, or negative, or is based on someone elses limitations or agenda.   Surround yourself instead with those who want you to be all you can be in your life and work.   Ask for Help Finally, in tough times, we need to ask for help.   Let go of your need to be perfect, right, or invincible.   Ask for assistance and support to get you through.     An encouraging friend, mentor, family member, or coach can be of great help when times are hard.   He/she can help you see beyond what youre experiencing, make sense of it in terms that are meaningful to you, and connect you to the realization that youre not alone.   Ive found too that the best kind of support comes from your higher self the dimension of you that experiences life from a broader perspective than your ego-mind is capable of.   You can access insight from your higher self by forging a relationship with it, connecting with your inner guidance and knowledge by asking yourself questions each day, and listening to the answers.   Trust yourself, and act on your own intuition and inner guidance.   You wont steer yourself wrong.   Check it out for yourself.   (For a bit of help overcoming  the 12 common crises women face today, please check out my book, Breakdown, Breakthrough.)    *         *         *          *         * Tough times are rampant right now in our world.   The question to ask is, How may I use this trying situation to inform, uplift, and expand me as I continue on the path that compels me?   Remember: You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do. Eleanor Roosevelt You Learn by Living, 1960