Self-care during hard times
In this post, you’ll discover 12 powerful strategies to cope with difficult times and find hope. These practical tools, rooted in both personal experience and mental health insights, can help you navigate challenges with courage and clarity.
How to get through hard times
- Being Active
- Learn something new
- Try some relaxation techniques
- Give yourself a project
- Pamper yourself
 |
1. Honor your emotions
The first step toward healing is acknowledging what's inside you. Rather than pushing your feelings aside, lean in:
-
Name the specific emotion (anger, grief, confusion).
-
Allow yourself to feel it. Through writing, talking, or creative expression.
-
Give yourself time limits (e.g. 15–30 minutes) to prevent spiraling.
When you truly acknowledge your feelings, they lose some of their grip on you.
2. Let your values guide your actions
Your deepest values whether compassion, growth, connection, or authenticity can anchor you.
-
Identify your top 1–2 core values.
-
List small actions you can take in 5, 10, or 30 minutes that align with them.
-
When you’re stuck, pick one and simply do it — without overthinking.
This bridges feeling and doing, helping you move forward even when you don’t “feel better” yet.
3. Embrace duality
Life often contains paradox. You can feel sorrow and gratitude. You can be angry and loving.
When you allow both sides to coexist, you ease internal conflict. You don’t have to pick one “right” feeling. There’s space for complexity.
4. Assign roles: driver and passenger
Imagine your emotions riding in a car with you:
-
You are the driver, steering where you go.
-
Your emotions sit in the passenger seat — they’re present, but not directing.
This metaphor helps you accept emotions without letting them dictate your path.
5. Adjust your gratitude practice
Gratitude still matters — but in tough times, tweak it to reflect your reality:
-
Try writing just one thing you’re grateful for (big or small).
-
Let it relate to the hard thing you’re facing (e.g. “I’m grateful I had the chance to try”).
-
Use morning and evening gratitude notes to shift perspective gently.
6. Find a “flow state” of gratitude
Rather than simply thinking gratitude, feel it:
-
Choose an activity that pulls you in (nature, art, dancing).
-
While doing it, notice the gratitude arising from within.
-
Let the feeling wash over you, rather than forcing it.
When you can tap into this “flow,” it becomes easier to let gratitude shape your worldview.
7. Move your body
Physical movement is one of the most reliable mood lifters:
-
Pick a form of exercise you actually enjoy.
-
Start small — commit to 10 minutes if that’s all you can manage.
-
Invite a friend or accountability partner.
Even short bursts of movement help release built-up tension and lift your mental state.
8. Mindfully curate your environment
Your internal space is deeply influenced by your external surroundings:
-
Limit exposure to negative people, content, or media — especially when you're vulnerable.
-
Set boundaries with relationships that drain your energy.
-
Replace harmful input with uplifting books, music, or podcasts.
Your space and what you allow into it matter more than you might realize.
9. Be gentle with yourself
Hard times diminish your capacity — that’s ok.
-
Accept that your productivity, memory, or focus may be lower.
-
Adjust expectations.
-
Affirm your value not by what you produce, but by who you are and what you need now.
Speak to yourself as you would to a friend in pain.
10. Express what you need and ask for help
You don’t have to go through this alone.
-
Clarify internally what you need (time, space, help with chores).
-
Communicate it in calm, non-blaming language (“I feel overwhelmed; it would help me if …”).
-
Let people help you, and thank them when they do.
Also, consider seeking professional help when you’re overwhelmed.
11. Focus on what’s within your control
In difficult times, much feels uncertain. But you can still act in small ways:
-
Identify three things you can influence right now.
-
Take consistent, small steps with those things.
-
Let go of what you can’t change.
This shift helps reduce anxiety and restores agency.
12. Speak and think constructively
Words shape our inner worlds.
-
Replace “I have to” with “I choose to.”
-
Shift from “this is happening to me” to “this is happening for me.”
-
Vent mindfully: Allow negative expression for a set time, then pivot to solutions or hope.
Your internal narrative can be a source of strength.
Final Thoughts
You have a depth of resilience within you — even when it feels hidden. These 12 tips are invitations, not rules. Try one, adapt it, make it your own.
You don’t have to do it all — choose a few that feel doable right now.Remember: no hard season lasts forever, and you have everything you need within you to get through this. Be kind to yourself. Reach out when you need it. And remember: hard seasons don’t last forever.
Comments