Managing Adversity and Facing Your Fears

Have you ever been in a situation where fear and adversity seemed to have claimed your life and not let go? Have you ever concluded, "What's the use?" and surrendered to what you don't want because the battle was weighing you down and you were too tired to fight it anymore? If you have, then this article is for you. If you have not had this experience yet, this article is for you too. You just might meet this challenge one day.

One of the surest guarantees in life is that you will face adversity. And, if you are like the majority of the world's population, fear plays a major role in the experience. Still, there is a way to continuously overcome adversity after adversity and manage your fears and anxieties. How? Begin to shift your mind set and your intentions to:

* A state of perseverance. You are willing to navigate through the adversity or fear with a winner's attitude. This means you have a never give up attitude.

* Reframe the way you see the adversity. Choose to look at the situation as training for developing the character you need for your life's destiny and purpose. The question to ask and answer is, "How can I become better than I am now because of this adversity?"

* Choose to be aware and conscious of your beliefs, your thoughts and your fears. Be honest about the beliefs, thoughts and fears you have that are contributing to you feeling angry, stuck, paralyzed or defeated and be willing to face them.

* Have faith. Have faith that you do have what it takes to overcome the challenges you are facing. Just know that whatever strength you lack, it will be supplemented with grace and you will be carried through. Just don't give in, give up or give out.

* Have foresight. See yourself beyond the adversity by creating a vision for your life. In the midst of any adversity the experience can be daunting and exhausting. To lighten the load, spend time seeing what is beyond you and not just the adversity that is before you. Being in the state of perseverance supports the endurance you need to work through the adversity while meeting the objectives of the vision you have for your future. Seeing is believing. If you change what you see, then what you believe will change.

* Face your fears. When you choose to face your fears, you are choosing to grow. Fear is nothing more than anticipated pain. In other words, fear is a self-imposed imagination of pain you believe you will experience. Ask yourself, "Do I create imaginations that cause me to create fights, become paralyzed or run from opportunities? To get beyond where you are you cannot remain the same. Face your fears and doubts with faith so you can grow.

* Meditate and Journal. Mediate on the things you are grateful for, things that inspire you, and things that are good. Keep a journal to record the things that will reinforce your intentions and your focus. In turn, your intentions and focus will steer and attract you to the exit way of your adversity and fears.

I have often heard my friend, Chris Gloss say time and time again, "Life is a fight for territory. If you don't fight for what you want, then what you don't want will take over."

Begin now to fight for the person you want to become. When adversity knocks on your door, become a manager. When fear begins to haunt you, become a growth expert. Take your life back and live courageously!