“Challenges are what make life interesting. Overcoming them is what makes them meaningful.” – Anonymous

What are challenges?

God throws challenges at you from time to time to test your persistence, fortitude, ability, and self-belief to overcome any hurdles that come in the way of achieving your goal.

A challenge is any difficult task or action that requires great physical or mental effort to perform. It may include overcoming a financial setback, dealing with a health issue, your first public performance, a divorce or finding a suitable job successfully. Life is full of unexpected tough times; and many of them can be difficult to overcome without tenacity, effective survival skills and support.

You may feel like the situation is crumbling around you while the world is indifferent to your troubles. The whole world is against you. You feel helpless and turn into a nervous wreck. But don’t feel defeated – the good news is, you aren’t alone. There are so many other people going through similar distress, each one trying to overcome some challenge or the other. So, never give up. Take inspiration from all the other people who have fought and won their battles. 

How to Overcome Challenges

These are a few important things to keep in mind while navigating life’s challenges:

1. Accept the challenge: You must first admit that a problem exists before you can resolve it! Most people ignore the problem that plagues them or worse, don’t even accept that it exists. Although it may bring unpleasant issues to the fore, the important thing is to acknowledge it as real. Accept the fact that you are the only one who can solve your problems so don’t run from the responsibility. Do not procrastinate.

2. Evaluate the facts: Once you are mentally and emotionally prepared to take up the challenge, try and understand the situation fully and figure out the details.  Ask yourself: Do I see the situation as it actually exists or am I distorting facts? How big is the problem? Am I blowing things out of proportion? Evaluate these facts and assess the situation in its entirety. But don’t let the enormity of the task overwhelm you. Break up the challenge into smaller tasks. Figure out the finances or other resources you will require.

3. Evaluate the possibilities: Ensure that you explore all the possibilities to solve your issue or overcome the challenge. There may be several options available which you can use, but it is up to you to decide which is the best one or the one that suits you the most according to the specific situation. You may need to explore more than one path to reach your goal. Trust your instinct, judgment, and abilities in handling the situation.

4. Ask for help: Once you understand the problem and evaluate the facts and possibilities, you may require help. Talk to someone who has experienced a similar situation, join an online community, read up the particular matter in a book or online, talk to your parents, children or friends. Put aside your ego. Take advice as and when required to continue making progress. But always bear in mind, it is your problem, you will have to solve it.

5. Take action: The most vital step after charting out a plan is to act on it. Once you’ve decided what needs to be done, be prompt in taking action. Make sure it is broken down into smaller tasks so that you don’t feel overwhelmed. Set a time limit for each task. Begin with the simplest task so that you gain confidence. Ensure that you don’t give up until the hurdle is crossed.

6. Change your perception: If you suddenly realize that things are not going how you want them to, it’s okay. Don’t panic. Remain positive. Try to alter your perception and view the situation from a fresh perspective. You will be able to approach the task with enthusiasm.

7. Don’t give up: Don’t be discouraged if you go wrong or suffer a reversal in any of your tasks leading up to your goal. At least, you will have learned a lesson from the setback. This  will help you to improve your future efforts and eventually you will achieve success. The important thing is, never become so disheartened or disappointed that you give up. Rectify your mistakes and start again.

8. Be flexible: Whenever you feel that your chosen path is not giving you the outcome you expect, don’t be rigid. Be flexible. If required, you must be able to alter the plan or even change the entire plan itself at any point, if required. Don’t worry about it or blame yourself for it. It’s normal. The point is, your actions should be meaningful. If you’re going nowhere with them, then ditch them.

9. Believe in yourself: Since you have accepted the challenge, you must be mentally, emotionally,  financially and physically prepared to meet it. Don’t overthink. You must have the self-belief and confidence that you will surely overcome all obstacles and emerge successful in reaching your goal.

10. Be grateful: Above all, be grateful that God has chosen you and given you the ability to take up the challenge. It’s because He believes in you, much more than you believe in yourself.

So, how do you handle challenges in your life?Share your experiences with us.

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