When Life Gives You Lemons: 7 Tips To Keep Moving

Life isn’t a fairytale. As much as we would like our lives to look like those romantic comedies when everything seems so carefree, the reality is different. But what if I tell you that with a little change of perspective, you can stay strong even through the hardest moments?

Considering there is nothing we can do about different problems that appear in our lives, the best solution is to work on yourself. The following seven tips will teach you how to keep moving when life gets hard.

SEE ALSO: 5 Ways To Recognize A True Spiritual Connection

1. Learn from your experience

Instead of focusing on whatever you are struggling at the moment, pause for a second and ask yourself:

What will this experience teach me?

This will help you to look at the bigger picture. Instead of blaming yourself and wracking your brain about what you should’ve done better, think about what you’ve learned. Use every bad experience as a life lesson. Each time you feel hurt, start thinking about what that will teach you and how you will come out of it stronger than ever.

2. Write 5 things to be grateful for

The time may come when you feel there is nothing good in your life. That is the best moment to recall all your blessings. Here is a little exercise that can completely change your attitude and life.

Every time you feel like the whole world is working against you, write down five things you’re grateful for. There are numerous amazing and inspiring people such as Oprah who advocate this method. Sometimes we take some of the most important aspects of our lives for granted. Be grateful for the ability to walk, speak, breathe, for having a roof over your head, or having a hot meal on your plate. It is so easy to forget that some people don’t even have that.

3. Accept that you can’t control everything

So many people struggle with the need to have everything under control. Then, when something unexpected happens they feel like their whole world is falling apart. That is why you need to admit and accept that you can’t control everything. Life is unpredictable and that’s okay. Know that everything happens for a reason. Who knows what kind of greatness hides behind those life challenges that you didn’t expect. All you need to think and feel in such situations is hope.

Take as an example Nick Vujicic, a man who was born without arms and legs. He didn’t allow that to stop him. Even though he couldn’t control or change his physical condition, he did have hope. Now he has a loving family, is a best-selling author, and a motivational speaker who inspires people all over the globe.

4. Empower yourself

Loss and failure tend to make us question our self-worth. You start thinking you should’ve done something better and that it is somehow all your fault, but it is not. You need to learn how to be your own support. Here are some affirmations you can use to make yourself feel better:

1. I am worthy
2. I deserve love
3. I believe in myself
4. I’m perfect just the way I am
5. I deserve happiness
6. I can achieve anything I want

In the beginning, you may not believe in the stuff you are saying but with time it will grow on you as you cultivate more self-compassion. You know how they say, fake it ‘till you make it!

5. Do Something for others

Instead of putting yourself in the center of the universe, try to think about others. Not only will it take your mind off what you are going through but it will make you feel better. No one can undermine that feeling of warmth that overwhelms your body when you see you’ve made someone happy. Help out an elderly neighbor by getting them groceries or taking their dog for a walk. Donate your clothes. Volunteer in a soup kitchen. Do whatever you can to bring some light in someone’s life.

6. Find peace in nature

If you haven’t already grasped the healing power of nature it’s high time you do! Depending on where you live, find a place where you can reconnect with nature. Take a walk in the park, jog by the sea, or meditate on the mountain. Try out different activities that can help you find peace. Once you get your mind away from the hectic noise of the city and get consumed by the sounds of nature, you will see how much peace it brings you. In case you don’t have the time to go somewhere and you need some quick solution, play sounds of nature on your phone. Clear your mind completely and let nature take control.

7. Stop being the victim

Those who always ask the question “Why me?” will never learn how to stop playing the role of the victim. It is the easiest way to blame the universe or other people for what is happening. Of course, no one deserved to go through bad experiences but there is nothing you can do to change that so why focus on it?

You can have thoughts such as:

• What have I done to deserve this?
• Bad things always happen to me.
• I attract problems.

The thing is that these thoughts will only make things worse. You keep focusing on that situation and aren’t allowing yourself to move on. Accept that things happen without any specific reason and they happen to everyone. You are no exception.

Find what works best for you…and keep doing it

These are just some tips that can work wonders if they resonate with you. Understand that everyone is different so you need to find what has a positive effect on you and what doesn’t. Start by practicing these tips and later on you may come up with some of your own solutions. Just remember, keep your head high and never give up.