Everyone will face challenging times in life. And how we face those challenges will largely determine our outcome. But regardless of who we are, facing challenges head-on really comes down to mindset.
This means remembering that everything you’ve done in your life up to this point has brought you to exactly where you are. Every accomplishment and every challenge has set you on the path and determined your current outcome.
Once you recognize this one simple truth, it’s much easier to accept that you are exactly where you’re supposed to be.
Facing challenges head-on means trusting that every challenge we’ve been given has strengthened and refined us into becoming our best self.
This is just part of the message I shared with Malorie Nicole on her Abundantly Clear podcast.
Malorie is an incredible human with her own story of facing challenges head-on and coming out the other side with a different and more empowered mindset.
We discussed the fact that we all have challenges, but it’s how we view those challenges that will shape our future outcome.
If you have the time, take a listen.
If you just want the highlights, here are three ways you can begin facing challenges head-on in your own life:
Accept who you are
You are you—and what’s more important is that you are the only you in existence. Accept who you are and stop trying to change yourself.
To be clear, I am not talking about being complacent, nor am I promoting remaining stagnant. Growth should be an important part of everyone’s journey. We should always try to improve ourselves. This is where facing challenges head-on comes in.
When a challenge comes your way, don’t feel bad about it, or wonder why it’s happening to you. It’s leading you to becoming your best self. Challenges are just opportunities for growth.
What we should not do is face our challenges by trying to change who we inherently are. We have to stop comparing ourselves to others or mimicking the actions we think others want us to take.
Everyone faces challenges differently—the most important thing is to face them as yourself.
YOU BE YOU! And be the best YOU that YOU can be.
Lead with Kindness
Let’s be honest, sometimes when we are in the heat of a challenge, emotions are high, and stress is abundant.
We may lash out at others or unfairly judge them. This just adds to the frustration and serves no one.
Be kind.
Be patient.
Judge less and love more.
Facing challenges head-on means being present and taking each moment and honoring it for what it is.
Don’t try to change what’s already happened and don’t blame others for your circumstances.
Remember that every obstacle is an important part of your life’s journey.
As those challenges start to come, remember to take a step back and lead with kindness. Look at the big picture and move into the challenge one step at a time.
You may fail and you may stutter—that’s okay. It’s all a part of the process. Recognizing this allows us to lean into our challenges with a little more compassion for ourselves and others.
Be kind—especially to yourself.
Determine Your Why
When facing challenges head-on, we can learn so much about ourselves. But the most valuable lesson we can learn is our why.
If you want to do something bad enough, you will have no problem accomplishing it.
But on the flip side, if you don’t have the desire to grow, you won’t—because we are human, and our actions are led by motivation.
In order to courageously and successfully move through life’s challenges, we need to determine our why. Our why then becomes our motivator.
For me, my motivator is growth. I know that every challenge I face is an opportunity for greater experience and growth.
Growth is an option only when we’re ready to face those things that may scare us.
When we choose to see every challenge as an opportunity for growth, we will continually expand our life experience.
In the end, facing challenges head-on is really about our mindset. You can do anything you set your mind to. But can’t means you won’t.
There will always be challenges in life—which means there will always be opportunities to grow.
Choose your mindset and determine your destination.
If you would like to learn about my adventures and the lessons I’ve learned from them, you can find my book The Extraordinary UnOrdinary You on Amazon.
