You can't stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf them

“You can't stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf them” - Jon Kabat-Zinn

I love this quote because it reminds us that life is full of ups and downs, highs and lows. No matter how hard we try to control or avoid the difficult times, they will still come our way.

But how we manage difficult situations is key, and the power lies in our response. We can choose to focus on the pain and suffering, or we can learn how to use it as an opportunity for growth. We can choose resilience and optimism over defeatism and pessimism.

We can start by reframing our thoughts. When a challenging situation arises, take some time to acknowledge the difficulty of it but then focus on the positive aspects. Try to see it as an opportunity for growth, rather than something you must simply endure. I know this is difficult to do especially when you're in the middle of a difficult situation, but it can help to change your perspective. With practice ( and that's a lot of practice!) it will become easier.

Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed and think that things have to be perfect. There are always going to be bumps on life's road and things will never go completely as planned. Accept it and learn how to move forward with courage and resilience. I try and smile my way through it and repeat the mantra, " you'll look back on this next week and laugh!"

Focus on the small wins and don’t be too hard on yourself. Celebrate your successes no matter how small they may be, just as you would celebrate someone else’s success. When we are our own cheerleaders, it helps to build a stronger sense of self-esteem and courage

Make plans, set goals, and be willing to fail in order to reach your desired outcome. There is a saying, “failure is not an option, it’s a requirement.” I think this means that the only way we can grow and succeed is through learning from our mistakes. No one has ever achieved something amazing without failure first.

At the end of the day, learning how to ‘surf’ life’s waves isn’t easy but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming either. With the right perspective, a healthy dose of resilience and optimism, we can learn to embrace life’s waves and use them to our advantage. 

If you are a fan of Jon Kabat Zinn here is a link to his book. 

https://amzn.to/3V9qEa6

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mindfulness-Beginners-Reclaiming-Present-Moment/dp/1622036670?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1669186101&sr=1-6&linkCode=ll1&tag=secondthoug08-21&linkId=4370abec23ee6ec365c5a713e6fe1b8f&language=en_GB&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

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Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash