How to respond in the right way.

Posted on July 18, 2015 by Andrea Crisp, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.

What does it look like to have a healthy emotional response during crisis? When was the last time you were so fed up with circumstances in your life that you wanted to run for the hills? It could be at this very moment you are trying to figure out how to get out of a personal or professional conflict in your life. Do you stay or do you go? Weighing your options – none seem viable. Except pulling the covers back over your head and staying in bed for the rest of the day.

It’s true, we all have seasons of crisis; times where life is just not what we anticipated it would be. I’ve been there. Have you? It’s all we can do to stay present, and not retreat into complete isolation.

You may be reading this today, and are experiencing the deep pain of isolation. It’s ok to be alone for a time, but too much isolation leads to frustration and depression. The cycle is vicious and debilitating. If that is you – I implore you to reach out to someone today.

How we respond to the situations we are faced with determine our emotional health. How emotionally healthy are you?

There have been times in my life where I have negatively responded to situations and circumstances in my life that have not only been hurtful to myself but to others as well. Those responses had a severe impact on my health, life, and ultimately how I made my future decisions.

How do you respond when faced with conflict?

In anger.
With hurtful words.
By being offended.

How we respond to the hard things in life will either bring us peace, or cause us to spiral into a dark place. It’s a choice we make to sit in despair and frustration, or to change our emotional response and reframe our perspective.

1) Begin by calling out negativity for what it is, and then change course. You may have negative thoughts about someone or something that has hurt you. Or, maybe someone else’s negative attitude is getting in the way. Do yourself a favour, and RUN!

2) Don’t worry so much about what others think. Easier said than done… I know! In the end, it’s not about what everyone else thinks. It’s about what you believe God is saying to you through the situation. Ask Him, and seek wise counsel.

3) Invite trusted people into the journey. It’s during the hard times that we want to retreat, but its then that we need people to journey with. Walk along side of them. Ask others about what is going on in their lives so that you can get a different perspective. This will help you shift your eyes off of your situation.

4) Be vulnerable. It’s scary to think that people may truly ‘know’ the deepest, scariest parts of us, but when we open ourselves up, it can completely change the landscape of our lives.

5) Celebrate the success of others. Ok, this is a hard one. But, at our very lowest can we really celebrate a win for someone else? Wouldn’t it just be easier to think about ourselves? Yes, it may be easier but joy will come when you are able to celebrate the success of others.

When we shift our eyes off of the problem, and begin to look at how we respond, we see that it is our character that is being refined in the process. If you find yourself unable to shift your thinking please seek professional guidance, ask a friend to help you find a counselor in your area that you can walk the journey with.

Is there a step you can take today that will help you move from a place of unhealthy response towards emotional health?