What You Can Learn From Difficult Situations

If 2020 has taught us anything at all, it’s that sometimes life is really, really hard. We’ve all had to deal with loss, fear, pain, and an overall disruption of our sense of “normal” in one way or another. Together, we’ve found ourselves in this communal difficult situation. But there’s a silver lining nonetheless.

We can actually learn a lot from difficult situations. In this blog, you’ll find four lessons that you can learn from any difficult situation you find yourself in.

Difficult situations teach us to enjoy the good

When you’re in the middle of a difficult situation, one thing is almost always true — you find yourself longing for better days. How many times this year have you found yourself dreaming of flying on an airplane, walking around the mall, hugging your friends, or just the simple luxury of not wearing a mask? The things that once seemed so little don’t feel so little anymore, and slowly but surely you realize those were the things that matter most after all.

One way to teach yourself to look for the good is by writing a gratitude journal. Make a list of the small things in life that bring you joy. Then write them down. There’s something incredible that happens when we put pen to paper and really begin to count the things that we are the most grateful for. Then, you’ll have that list to refer back to whenever you find yourself in another difficult situation again.

Difficult situations give us a crash course in patience

It’s sad but true — difficult situations usually don’t come and go in the blink of an eye. Instead, they linger around and drag on and on. It’s easy to start to lose hope during tough times because we feel trapped in them for so long. But if you wait long enough, something else will emerge: patience.

The moment you accept that a hard situation just might not be going anywhere soon, you’ll start to uncover patience you never knew you had. You’ll realize that there can still be good in dark moments and that you can wait out the storm. This sense of confidence will help you come out even stronger in the end.

Difficult situations reveal what’s really important

When you’re in a difficult situation, everything begins to come in perspective. You realize that the fact that the barista messed up your coffee order pales in comparison to the importance that your loved ones are safe. The things that are important become really important and the things that aren’t, well, become really small.

If you’re journaling along, make a list of the most important things in your life. Why do those things matter to you as much as they do? Then keep this list tucked away so that the next time something hard happens — you can gain some perspective and ask yourself if it really matters or not.

Difficult situations show us what we’re made of

You are a lot stronger than you realize. Difficult situations teach you that. When you have to be strong for someone else, take control of a situation, and learn how to make good decisions in the face of challenges, you’ll realize how tough you are. 

Don’t be afraid to brag about yourself along the way. You are a strong, powerful person. Take a moment to soak in how proud you are of yourself for staying strong even in the middle of tough times. You will be surprised (and proud) at just how much you can accomplish.

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Whether 2020 has been incredibly challenging for you or just moderately so, we want you to know that Entrepreneur Lady Hustler is a safe place or you. We’re here to walk through the tough times together and remind each other every day that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Through the good times and bad, we hope this community can be a place for you to find the support you need to keep going and the confidence to press on.