As we move forward into the future, we will, without a doubt, be facing some difficult times. Some of us may get the short end of the stick. The rest of us may, on the surface, seem to skate by without a care. The only constant between us all is that we will endure some hardships. It’s part of the human experience.

In the past, some rituals and proofs deemed one “an adult.” These were, in a somewhat overarching way, a way to prove that you could deal with life’s obstacles. Nowadays we don’t have that. Our modern world doesn’t have an agreed-upon cultural guidepost for mental and emotional health. If we did, we wouldn’t be in the collective situation we’re in right now. 

When life changes and forgets to give us the memo, there are a few things we can do to catch up, cope, and thrive. Here’s how.

Seek Help

There’s an old saying that rings true no matter who you are: “A mind is a scary place. Don’t go in alone.” We’re all complex individuals. We have our pitfalls and our hang-ups. We have barriers to entry on emotional doors we didn’t even know existed. To truly navigate the mind, we need intense practice and a lot of work. Fortunately for us, some professionals are there to help. Guiding ups through the maze that is our head is their specialty. The challenge is finding someone who is right for you. The experts from WellbeingsCounseling.ca suggest being patient and honest with counselors. Their styles might vary, but ultimately they’re trying to get you to the same endpoints of understanding. These online resources are often the first step in finding someone who is right for you. It is, ultimately, your most important move towards better coping mechanisms. 

Do Difficult Things 

There’s a trend that’s going on in response to the increasing stresses of life. People are turning outward in a healthy, productive way. It’s not that they’re ignoring the facts of their situation, but individuals are taking their coping mechanisms and purposefully putting them into overdrive through extreme physical exercise and martial arts. It’s the reason why “Spartan” and obstacle racing has gotten so big. It accounts for the rise of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. It’s also a part of the reason why CrossFit has gotten so big. These are difficult, team-based, collective difficulties that allow one to work out all the pent up anxiety by letting it reach ahead and blow off. It’s a strategy for those with mild to moderate coping difficulties and has been a call to arms by many popular motivational figures on the internet. Now, doing difficult physical things will not get to the root of the problem. What it will do, on the other hand, is give you an extra tool when things start to bubble over. 

Breathing Exercises 

Breathing Exercises tend to get pushed to the side in the world of building stable coping mechanisms. It’s a major factor in famous yogis and “wellness gurus.” As much as the latter may be less credible than any professional mental coach or counselor, one shouldn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Breathing techniques are a great way to narrow your focus to a singular task, voiding the cacophony of self-doubt and mounting responsibility. It’s a momentary reset button that we can get better and better at with practice. It should be noted that this is just a small piece of the puzzle. One should always consult with a professional counselor in conjunction with any kind of exercise. 

Honest Assessment 

Making an honest assessment of one’s ability and responsibilities is key. There’s a self-perpetuating loop that happens when we allow tasks and grievances to backlog. It’s as if when we try to move forward, the things that we either missed or put to the side end up pulling us back, paralyzing us. Sitting down with professionals and listing things out can do wonders. There’s a strange thing that happens when we look at the map of things holding us back. It’s scary and honest. It’s the totality of things we choose to ignore under the blanket of a mounting negative feeling. Honestly assessing one’s self—without the blasé self-deprecation and passive-aggressive self-hate, can be a great tool to moving forward in whatever venture and avenue you may find yourself in. 

Coping mechanisms are taught. There’s not much written in our nature that supports a healthy, thriving mental state. This is why we take control of our health. This is why we seek help from professionals. Without it, we may find ourselves inching deeper into the loop we seek to escape.

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