Hi Friends,
Like most of us, I’ve had some pretty poopy times in my life – from going through a divorce, coping with a parent that is terminally ill to sadly, the death of a parent. Looking back, these traumatic events have ALL helped ground me, and allow me a greater perspective of what’s worth losing sleep over – and what’s not.
That being said, It really doesn’t matter how BIG or small a problem is. We all have things that happen to us in our daily lives that throw us off course. Sometimes is can be an accumulation of small things and then just as another ‘poop hit the fan moment’ happens we crumble! These incidents can sometimes be the torch paper which ignites the start of a bad day…so whatever poop is hitting your fan today I hope what I’ve found to help my life can help you too…
Here’s a few tips on how I’ve learnt to deal with life when the ‘poop hits the fan’!
It’s important not to allow a bad situation dictate your mindset for all of your waking hours. It’s natural to worry – but ask yourself in that moment: “Is worrying helping you OR the situation”? If the answers ‘NO’ then turn your thoughts into thinking of ways to solve the problem or make a situation more bearable. This will not only help the situation, but it will help your mental strength as well.
If the problem involves another person – challenge yourself to see it from their perspective. This can help you gain greater clarity, and helps you come to a resolution much quicker. If you can try your best momentarily to remove your emotions from the situation and take a step back, then you might be able to come to an understanding or compromise easier.
Taking a moment to look down at the situation or event from a birds eye perspective can be invaluable in allowing you to think more calmly and logical, and in turn better help you solve the problem.
Ask yourself this simple question: “Will this matter tomorrow, next week or in 6 months from now?” This question really helps me gain perspective on an issue.
Leave the coffee AND caffeine (even if just temporarily while you get your head round the situation!). Caffeine can add to feelings of anxiety and your brain will function with much more clarity if you drink a glass of water instead.
BREATHE…correctly. Shallow breathing limits the diaphragm. The lowest part of the lungs don’t get a full share of oxygenated air. That can make you feel short of breath and anxious. Deep abdominal breathing encourages full oxygen to get into your blood stream and can both slow the heartbeat and lower blood pressure. Breathe in through your nose, hold the breath for a few seconds and then exhale through your mouth. The time it takes to exhale should be about twice the time to inhale.
After a negative situation, it’s important to ask yourself if there’s anything you can learn from what happened? Is there a way to ensure it doesn’t happen again or can you challenge yourself to find a positive in amongst the poop!? I believe mistakes are our greatest untapped resource for learning AND improving our lives. This can help make those poopy times a little more bearable!
‘A problem shared is a problem halved’ – though I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the best with sharing my problems! I’m far better at solving other peoples’ problems than sharing my own, but when I do, WOW – does it feel like a huge relief! Sometimes just simply saying the problem out loud helps. It’s also important to get another’s perspective – they could have the perfect solution OR know just the right words to say to lift your spirits!
I hope this these tips will help you at those moments when you need it most, and that what I have found helps me, could also help you next time the poop hits the fan!
Here’s a favourite quote of mine that’s well worth remembering:
Love,
Makeup Artist | Stylist | Founder of Beautyandtheboutique.com