Essential Life Skills: How Do You Deal With Adversity?

Adversity is synonymous with difficulty and misfortune.

I’ve always considered myself a freelance mentor. I have been through many blenders in life and with each brush of adversity I noted several commonalities that would inadvertently help me through the next one. Taking responsibility is a key to creating the life you want.  That requires a shift from external to internal control–a sense that you can rely on yourself, can trust your own judgement, can empower yourself.  

Along with taking responsibility for your life comes the understanding and acceptance that adversity is an integral and significant part of life.  Isn’t it interesting that so often we are surprised by adversity, almost like if we are doing all the “right” things, then we won’t have so many problems and struggles–an attitude of “Life should be easier.”  So accepting that adversity is a normal part of life is an important shift in our thinking.

You have a choice of how to deal with adversity–how to respond to and deal with the challenges that you face each day.  You either see them as obstacles or as opportunities.  You either let them get you down or decide to overcome them.

1. Never take life too seriously. Humanity is nothing but a giant mess worthy of a good laugh.
2. Avoid hatred. It’s an unnecessary burden well worth abandoning.
3. Peaceful acts of protest can be the most potent.
4. Always have an escape plan, no matter what – even when you’re taking the high road. Some evil folks can’t handle being ignored or failing to intimidate you, and they will come after you. Either be where they can’t find you or end up somewhere for which they will pay dearly for hurting you.
5. You’re never alone. Someone always can relate and usually has it worse than you.
6. Weird is the new normal. Embrace it and don’t be afraid to express it – so long as it’s totally legal to do so.
7. Never bully. You never know who will ignore rule #2.
8. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, except for the deliberate, immoral ones. The wisest people have the most scars.
9. Never attack. Only defend. The judge and jury will side with you.
10. Be nice. A smile will get you far in life on its own.

Memorize one or two of the above and just wing the rest.

The Truth About Adversity “If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters. This struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one; or it may be both moral and physical; but it must be a struggle.” – Frederick Douglass