We all have to deal with things we don’t want to at some point in our lives. Bad things happen to everyone and there are some things you just have to do no matter how much you don’t want to.
Everyone has unique struggles while at the same time we aren’t so different. We all have different experiences but the emotions we feel can be similar and there is usually someone out there who can relate to you.
One thing we all have in common is we all have to do things we don’t want to sometimes. From going to work to caring for sick family members, the different situations are endless but there are techniques that can help. Here are a few ways to make the best of a situation you don’t like.
1. Look for the bright side
There is a positive side to every situation. No matter how bad things are, try to find some good in the situation. If you have to share your office space, maybe you’ll end up making a new friend. Or if you have to drive your brother to work everyday, at least you get to spend some time with him and laugh a little. Maybe he’ll even give you gas money?
However, sometimes it may seem like there is no good in the situation at all, like if someone has passed away. As horrible as it, no matter what the situation or how bad it is, there is always a something good, you just have to look for it. If someone has passed away, maybe at least you got to see family members who you haven’t seen in years? Maybe years down the road you’ll be able to see how the experience actually made you choose the job you ended up loving?
Take some time and try to find the bright side. It might not show itself right away but there is always something good, you just have to look for it.
2. Be grateful for what you do have
You may feel a ton of different emotions surrounded by your situation. It will be different for each person, but negative emotions are typical and okay. Everyone feels bad sometimes and sometimes you need to feel negative emotions.
What’s important is to realize that even though you feel that bad, you still have a lot to be grateful for. Your family member may be sick, but at least you still have them around and can laugh with them. You have gotten laid off and don’t make as much money as you used to, but maybe now you actually have more time to spend with your kids since you don’t work so much overtime?
Gratitude is such a powerful emotion that it can actually take the negative emotions and overpower them. You could be having a horrible day, but then you stop and think about all the good in your life. All the people you love, the food you ate that morning, the clothes are wearing, your health, your dog; the list can go on and on. The longer the list the better.
Each situation is unique. Find what you have to be grateful for in yours.
3. Be nice
This can be a challenging one but if there is someone who you are forced to be around and you don’t really want to be around, do your best to be nice to them. It might feel counter-intuitive, especially if they are mean to you, but “kill them with kindness. ”
Basically just be nice to them no matter how mean or annoying they are. Doing so will make the situation better by easing any tensions and decreasing the chances for confrontation. If you’re being nice to someone it’s harder for them to be mean to you. And if you’re nice to them you’ll actually feel better yourself.
What if instead of getting mad and upset you just didn’t and found another way to deal with the situation? Maybe talk to the person or don’t talk to the person, whatever is the best option. If you feel like you’re getting upset, take a deep breath and just remember to be nice. It will make the situation a lot better.
4. Do your best
Always do your best in every situation. Just by giving your best effort it will make the situation way better than if you just don’t try or barely give any effort.
Think about how you feel when someone in customer service does their best and goes above and beyond to make a situation better for you…. doesn’t it feel great that someone worked so hard to make something good for you?
Now do that for yourself.
Even if you hate your job, you should still do the best you can every day. You’re still getting paid to do the job and while you’re there you should do the best you can with what you have. If you have no money and barely are making ends meet, try to be creative with your budget. Use coupons, cook meals that allow leftovers, skimp on unnecessary expenses like bottled water and Starbucks coffee.
Whatever you situation, give it 100% and do your best. Doing your best well make the situation the best it can be.
5. Make a little change
Sometimes you’re kinda stuck in a situation you don’t like. If you can’t completely change the situation there probably is a little change you can make that will improve the situation Even something small can make a big difference in your day to day life.
Making a little change in your diet like switching soda/juice for water can greatly improve your health. Try getting up an hour earlier to give yourself some time for yourself in the morning so you can start the day off happier. If you are always arguing with the father of your child, maybe text him more often instead of calling?
Every situation is unique and different but there is usually something that can be adjusted to make things easier. Small little changes can make a big difference.
6. Look at it from someone else’s perspective
Sometimes taking a minute to think about how someone else who is involved in the situation feels can make a difference in how you feel about it. Put yourself in their shoes and think about how you would feel. People don’t always do things for the reasons you may think they do.
If you’ve been giving rides to your cousin who’s saving for a car, instead of getting annoyed that they never give you gas money, maybe think about how they also have to pay for bus fair and Uber when you don’t give them rides? Maybe they just thought you wanted to help them out? Or is there another way they are showing their gratitude to you like babysitting your kids for free?
And vise versa, just because your cousin has a nice home and car doesn’t mean they don’t have a bunch of bills and debt. You might not feel like if you gave them $5 for gas it would make a difference, but it just might. Usually it’s the thought behind it and the effort that matters most.
No matter what the situation is take a minute to think about how the other person feels and what they may be thinking. It can be eye opening to see things from their point of view. The way you see the world is probably a little different from the way others see the world. Take a moment to put yourself in their shoes and you might feel more compassion, love and kindness instead of the negative emotions you felt before.
7. Learn something
In everything you do you can always learn something. Sometimes a situation will give you an opportunity to learn something new and other times you might just learn more about yourself.
If your military husband gets stationed in China, there’s an opportunity for you to learn a new language and a new culture. You may not want to move, but you might end up experiencing something that you always wanted to or maybe you’ll learn something great that you’d never get to learn if you hadn’t been forced to move.
Or maybe if your thrown into a stressful situation you can learn about how you handle stress. Maybe when you get stressed you get overwhelmed and freak out? Maybe you draw away from people and isolate yourself? Or maybe you handle stressful situations really well and would probably enjoy a job that allows you to help people in similar situations?
There is always something to learn if you are willing to. No matter what the situation is, take the opportunity to learn something new.
Great post!
Thank you!