Go INTO the Suffering When the Going Gets Tough
It was an honor to contribute to multiple media outlets this week in the article “The Top 10 Experts Share Their Tips for Overcoming Adversity.”
Here is my contribution in the article above:
Go INTO the Suffering When the Going Gets Tough.
Denise McDermott M.D.
“Face your suffering with a healthy mindset” is the #1 tip to overcoming adversity that I share with my clients.
Life is a series of crisis, stabilization, and thrive cycles.
We can use our experiences and feelings of loss, sadness, betrayal, or anger to create a momentum of change in times of suffering.
When we are in crisis there is infinite unseen energy and potential to grow and thrive.
A positive mindset is a key to being adaptive in times of uncertainty or crisis. At His Holiness Body Mind Life conference “Nurturing Children’s Mental Health” I spoke about the importance of awareness, self-love, and altruism as essential ingredients for optimal mental health and a positive mindset.
With this foundation, we have healthy coping strategies and the ability to “bounce back” when faced with a challenge.
Awareness is achieved through a practice of mindfulness or meditation. We must be calm, present and in the NOW so we can face our suffering head on.
Make time to be in nature, engage in a moving or still meditation to quiet your mind to have clarity of your next move in solving your problem.
Remember meditation is mind medicine and is the gateway drug for awareness.
Love yourself unconditionally with all of your imperfections. Self love Includes healthy nutrition, regular exercise, good sleep hygiene and finding your meditation routine.
A practice of gratitude for everything that is going right in your life is your “secret sauce” to keeping an open and positive mind throughout the day. A healthy lifestyle allows strong self-esteem and you will be able to give yourself an internal pep talk of “It will be ok, this is a temporary state of suffering.”
Altruism allows us to remember we are not alone and takes our minds off of our problems. Help a neighbor, smile at a salesclerk, reach out to a friend, and give a listening ear when you are going through a tough time.
A positive mindset sets the foundation for adapting in times of crisis and reaching your personal thrive with awareness, self-love, and altruism.
