2020 has been anything but normal or easy, we have faced a health crisis, a wrecked economy, massive unemployment, murder hornets, and civil unrest. We asked 26 Top Experts to provide their tips on overcoming adversity.
Get Your MOJO On Baby!
by Roger Badenhuizen
When life is just completely kicking me in the nuts, the one thing that always helps is listening to upbeat music. It completely changes your state and allows you to relax while gaining perspective. Jam out to the music, let your guard down for a bit and HAVE FUN. You will be amazed at how focused your mind will be when you come back to whatever problems were affecting you beforehand.
A lighter perspective will always show the way to new (and IMPROVED) solutions!!
I grew up not liking classical music at all. In fact, one of my shining moments in life happened when I was eight years old with my mom in church (not my choice to go). They announced a musical selection by Bach, so I stood up and loudly told my mom I didn’t like Bach and wanted to leave……Now I have learned to appreciate classical music and how it can relax me. Classical music can help you feel more successful. Use whatever music will best inspire you and enjoy the ride!!
Questions Are The Answers!
by Bert Martinez
Get My $20 Book, Dominating Your Mind for Free!
Believe It or Not, adversity is Good. Adversity creates innovation. Some of the world’s biggest companies, products, and or services were derived or created because of adversity. Adversity makes us stronger, makes us more resilient, makes us grateful, and more importantly, makes us humble. Adversity is like a strong workout, we hate it when we are going through it, but we’re so proud at the finish.
My # 1 Tip. So when you’re going through adversity ask empowering questions. What is good about this? What can I learn from this? How will this benefit me in the future? What are the resources that I can tap into? If you have questions or would like to get free training just text me at (602) 560-7981!
Bert Martinez is a Marketing Jedi. He’s worked with companies like Google and CBS, as well as over 1000 small businesses to solve their marketing challenges. Bert helps businesses uncover lost and hidden opportunities that could be worth millions. He’s known for laying down growth strategies for businesses in a single conversation. For more information visit Bert Martinez.com
How Many Times Did You Feel that Life was Against You?
by Sylvia Chavez
How many times did you feel that life was against you?
Nothing went right and no matter what you did, everything seems to be against you.
I feel you, my friend, I’ve been there before, but let me tell you one very simple tip that can change your life.
Each one of us (no exceptions) sees the world in a very unique way. “No two people see the same when they look at the same thing.” That is why I want to show you the first thing you need to do when adversity hits you.
“Do not take it personally”
Don’t you think that the world is against you? No matter how hard it is the challenge you are going through and no matter how painful.
Take the time to embrace the feelings you are feeling, do not deny them. Remember that the more you resist, the more it persists, and feelings are there to be felt.
Once you have some time to process what happened, don’t put yourself in the place of the victim. When you take things in a personal way, you allow those facts or circumstances to take over your life and disempower you. Actually, you give your power away to something or someone outside of you, and you lose yourself.
And you, are powerful beyond limits. You have the power to create your life, the whole world you see was created by you and for you.
Anytime you think that a challenge in your life is given to you by some strange force to take you down, or maybe because you have bad luck, or even this pandemic showed up in the exact moment you were thriving and took it all away and you feel that it always happens to you at the worst time. Trust me, there is nothing personal about anything, whether you like it or not, you are not the center of the world, you can be the center of “your world” by allowing yourself to keep learning and growing with every challenge you face.
This life is a school and you were born to learn every single day of it and grow to become the magnificent person you truly are. Greatness is not measured by the times you felt, but by the times you get up. You have the capacity to stand up over and over again for your dreams and make them true.
The Recipe for Adversity Soup is: Faith, Family, Friendship, Hard Work, and Perseverance!
by Karen Hilderbrand
To overcome adversity requires perseverance, hard work, a support system of those that care, and faith in God. Being in business for 33 years with my twin sister has required us to pitch in for each other when one of us faced a tough time that we didn’t think we could come through and wanted to give up. It meant trusting that God would be there, and we would be stronger for the experience both in our personal and business lives.
Check out our podcast “Storytime Anytime”, www.twinsisters.com, or search my author page on Amazon at Karen Mitzo Hilderbrand for wholesome educational products.
Transform The Pain and Struggle Into POWER
by Becky Overbeck
To overcome adversity, you must have a STRONG WHY!
You must have a GOAL, CLEAR VISION or DREAM in mind.
Along any journey there will be struggles, hard times, and days you will want to give up.
But if you are DETERMINED to reach your goal and make your dreams come true, you will dig deeper than you ever thought you could. You will turn the struggle and pain into POWER.
Let the pain and hardships fuel you to work harder.
Always keep your mission forefront in your mind.
To reach any massive goal, it will take persistence, obsession, determination, focus, and a very strong purpose!
Dream it, Believe it, Work your BUTT off, stay positive, and watch as those dreams become reality.
10 Ways to Turn Adversity Into Opportunity
by Rob Liano
In life, adversity is inevitable. You might lose a job, fail a test, or have an accident. Usually, we cannot control these events. However, the one thing we can control is how we respond. We can choose to lie down and surrender or stand up, fists blazing, and fight back.
Since changing how we process difficult events can be a fairly involved process, I’ve turned the letters that make up the word “Adversity” into bite-sized tidbits of insight, so you can turn challenges into triumphs.
A – Assess the circumstance. Is this permanent or temporary?
D – Decide, what’s the first step you can take that will have most impact?
V – Validate that first step. Is this the right move to make right now?
E – Embrace the situation as an opportunity.
R – Release the emotion. A clear mind allows for better decisions.
S – Step away. Take a moment to digest.
I – Identify others who will encourage you. Think VIP party, not pity party.
T – Trust that right now isn’t permanent.
Y – Yield. Produce something exceptional in spite of this challenge.
Which leads me to the most important part of overcoming obstacles. Once you’ve made the decision to change how you process adversity, you must Persevere.
To persevere is to carry on when faced with difficulty, obstacles, or, with little or no prospect of success. Do not give up!
When you decide to persevere and persist, you’ll discover you possess the ability to overcome anything life throws your way. I’d like to share just a few stories of how others just like you have overcome incredible setbacks.
Nick Vujicic was born with no arms nor legs yet despite that “handicap”, he went on to become a world-renowned motivational speaker.
144 publishers rejected the best-selling book series, Chicken Soup for the Soul prior to it being published.
James Dyson created 5000 plus prototypes before inventing the bagless vacuum cleaner.
Walt Disney was fired by his editor from his first job at the Kansas City Star because the editor did not believe Disney possessed imagination or creativity, and we all know how that turned out!
There are countless stories of triumph over tragedy. What ties them together is the individual’s choice to take the hardship and turn it into a victory. But enough about them, this is about you. It’s time to write your own story, make it a happy ending.
How to Overcome Adversity: Executive Coach’s #1 Tip is “The 3 Gifts” Technique
by Edith Hamilton
Understand that every “bad” thing that happens to you can be turned into a GIFT. (Not that the bad thing is a gift: it’s not.) Yet you can CHOOSE to call on your wisdom, compassion and courage to GENERATE:
• The Gift of Knowledge. Imagine you’re “let go” by your company. You’re beset not only by anger, but also guilt. “Maybe I contributed to this by the way I responded (or failed to). Maybe if I had done more of this, or less of that, I could have prevented it.” (Maybe that’s true. Maybe not.) Eventually, consider: “What knowledge or insights would I need to gain so that the payoff in the future will be much greater than what this is costing me right now?” As you ask with genuine curiosity, without judgment, you may come upon insights into behaviors and processes that will open future doors, or save you from much worse later.
• The Gift of Power. When my VP role at a “Fortune 10” firm came to a sudden end, the stock options that evaporated could have bought a new house in Manhattan Beach. For cash. Yikes! Yet paradoxically, it eventually freed me from income anxiety: the chief reason I worked there! So think about your adversity like “weights” in the gym. As you lift and press, your muscles grow. Ask, “Which powers – empathy, curiosity, creativity, courage – must I grow, so I am not upset by this anymore? And when those qualities grow in me, what gifts will I have?” As I grew more muscles to forgive myself and others for moves that outflanked me, I found great power. It led to the rich life I now enjoy as an Executive Coach and CFO Coach, working with private equity-backed companies.
• The Gift of Inspired ACTION. Christopher Reeve, once the embodiment of Superman, became a paraplegic. He could easily have become bitter. Instead, he eventually asked, “How can I turn this into a gift?” He committed to furthering treatments related to spinal cord injuries. Near the end of his life, he could say “I’ve never been happier. I wouldn’t change a thing. My life has far more meaning and purpose.” For him, the awful events paled in comparison to the joys of inspiring so much good.
When you choose to think that anything can be turned into a gift or opportunity, what is there left to fear?!
How a Support Group can Help You Overcome Adversity
by Elyssa and Elisha Fernández
Everyone deals with trials throughout life, but we know that among the obstacles entrepreneurs face, many are overlooked. Mental and physical repercussions are barriers that appear on the career path of an entrepreneur.
We have found that adversity can be overcome effectively by finding or creating a support group with individuals who are facing similar struggles.
As entrepreneurs, we face unique challenges, such as balancing responsibilities, that can overwhelm all of us, no matter our situation.
A support group is a group of people that you know will encourage you, and bring you back to reality if they need to.
Support groups will be different for everyone. It could consist of many people, or a select few, spread across a variety of locations and platforms.
For example, we belong to a support group for Latina women in business. This group is built on a custom website where we are encouraged to ask questions, build relationships with like-minded professionals, and collaborate.
We have been able to find hundreds of people across the many support groups we belong to that always have our best interests at heart, share our passion and drive, and give us valuable feedback.
In times of stress, when everything seems to be going wrong, our support group listens to us and helps us in whatever way they can.
Depression and anxiety are common among entrepreneurs, especially because we are devoted to our work.
Entrepreneurs often feel the need to meet and exceed expectations, sometimes at the cost of our own mental and physical health. We dedicate our time, energy, and creativity to providing quality content for our audience, and work to make a difference.
With a support group, we still face these obstacles, but we know we’re not alone. Through encouraging words, helpful suggestions, and meaningful conversations, we have felt more at ease.
Here are 3 action steps you can take to create your own support group:
1 – Get Out of Your Comfort Zone: Challenge yourself to look in places you normally wouldn’t. Find communities that are already in place where you can reach people who have similar experiences.
2 – Be Authentic: Be vulnerable. It will be hard, but sharing your pain openly makes room for personal growth, and additional validation from others
3 – Find a Platform: Find a way to contact your support group consistently. We love video or voice calls, since they offer a more personal way to connect.
When the Storms of Life Come, Call Upon the Maker of the Rainbow
by Eric Stamps
Life Happens! Everyone has not only heard that statement but experienced the storms of life personally. When facing medical, financial, relational, or other issues, turn to Creator of the rainbow. “I set My rainbow in the clouds and it shall be the covenant between Me and the earth.” Genesis 9:13.
As a debt attorney, I have had the privilege of helping many people who are dealing with financial issues. God tells us in Proverbs 12:15, “the ways of a fool are right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to counsel.” God also gives us comfort by assuring us that “God goes before you, He will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:8.
The Corona Virus has brought a new storm in our lives. Fear, illness, and financial difficulties are higher than any other period in our lives. Now, more than ever, we need to seek the Creator of the rainbow in these mighty storms of life.
Let us remember, God will provide your needs. The economy will recover. Most people will experience healing. The fear will subside as normalcy returns. So, from now on, when the storms of life some, look to the Creator of the rainbow and be comforted.
How I Overcome Adversity By Showing Up Daily
by QuHarrison Terry
Overcoming adversity starts days, months, and years before the adversity materializes. Michael Phelps didn’t win his first gold medal in Athens at age 19. He won his first gold medal in the lap pools of Baltimore at age 10. We overcome adversity by working on our skill sets every single day.
The most readily available and overlooked way of building our skill sets is by becoming a Digital Apprentice.
What does it mean to become a Digital Apprentice?
“Digital Apprenticeship is showing up every day on the Internet to learn something new from a Digital Master. Then, take that knowledge and apply it to a digital activity that may not pay immediate returns, but has the chance at great compounding returns. That’s Digital Apprenticeship.”
– Chris Do, The Futur
The difference with Digital Apprenticeship is not to seek a mentor or master to call your own. Digital Masters are to be shared by everyone. Rather, you need to seek heroes. Thus, you should learn their ways from afar. As you would your hero.
My Digital Masters:
Paul Jarvis of Chimp Essentials & Creative Class
Ben Thompson of Stratechery
Beeple of EVERYDAYS
Ryan Hoover of Product Hunt
What I learned from them was Consistency. Showing up every day with creative ideas and giving more to the digital ecosystems than I took. Whenever I found myself in a time of great adversity, I reverted to consistency. Just show up and create something like Paul, Ben, Beeple, or Ryan.
Showing Up Daily
Digital Apprenticeship, when it comes down to it, is all about getting your daily repetitions in. Adversity is more easily overcome by those with experience.
Kids who make memes every single day are great examples of Digital Apprentices. They work and rework everything that is copyright free on the Internet. They’re learning the language of the Internet. And simultaneously creating the currency of the Internet.
So I ask you, where on the Internet are you getting your apprentice reps in? Where are you giving and taking, creating, and reworking what already exists on the Internet?
I got my reps in by distributing my theories about the future of technology every day for 3 years. My consistency in future thinking led to life-changing opportunities with Mark Cuban, BMW, and Linkedin.
Even to this day, you can find me on Trends Exchange strategically thinking about emerging ideas, industries, and technologies.
Have a strong vision and nothing will stop you
by Opher Brayer
Overcoming Adversity: When the going gets tough, the tough get going Hard times are more common than you think. Getting past them is just a mental game you can learn to win.
Does it sometimes seem like every challenge you face in life becomes a big problem? You are not alone. Adversity affects the best of us and can beat us to the ground.
When adversity hits a person, he/she becomes confused and struggles to move forward. It is part of everyone’s life. But what makes each of us different is the way we deal with them.
What are the best ways to face adversities?
Storytime
Imagine that you lost your job. After searching for another job for some time, you lost all your hope.
Then one day, you had a vision! A vision of becoming a chef. Yes, you decided to learn the culinary art. And then, it became your mission to get all the tools and skills required to serve people the best. Once you accomplish your mission, you start executing it. You begin by taking baby steps and keep focused on reaching your goal.
You lost your job, which was your adversity. You overcame that and became successful with the help of vision, mission, and execution. So, it doesn’t matter what your vision is, you can be a chef or a game trainer as long as you have what it takes to make it happen.
Have a strong vision:
You start believing yourself when you have a vision.
Have a mission:
A well-organized plan to execute your vision.
Execute it better:
Stay focused, move forward, and execute it fiercely.
To keep your head clear and stay focused, you need these three characteristics: productive, creative, and adaptable to change. These qualities will help you create your own opportunities, which will keep away adversities.
Fix your mind on your vision and mission. And then be focused and execute. If you can do that, nothing can knock you down.
There is Always Opportunity in Adversity
by Tony DeMaio
Looking for opportunity in adversity is a skill that can be honed. Learning to look away from the problem and explore other out of the box solutions is key.
As an ex-football coach, I spent many years in the press box calling plays. One of the hardest things to discipline yourself to do is to look away from where the ball is going and look to see how players on the backside of the play are reacting and what opportunities they give you to run other plays.
Adversity in business can become a catalyst to make you look at other options and maybe develop a different approach to accelerate your progress.
One day as I walked into the office my assistant stood in doorway and gasped, we have a huge problem it’s raining so hard the water is coming through the roof into your office. The opportunity “free rent” yes there was a problem that presented 2 choices. One let it take me out of my game plan for the day and get absorbed into the problem. Two stay focused on what I had planned and see the benefit of free rent.
Be careful of owning the problem don’t focus so much on what won’t work that you can’t see what would work. There are people that can tell you in length why things won’t work. They are experts of what won’t work. They have spent so much time examining what won’t work that they can’t see the solutions.
Put in a difficult situation, one is likely to be inspired to create a novel or ingenious solution.
Necessity is the mother of invention. Change will always happen; you can fight it and prolong change or embrace change and put it to work for you now.
I founded Big Media USA in 2006 there was no real social media, not many internet users and many people thought the internet was a fad. I never changed my mission of giving people an inexpensive platform to promote their business. I have adjusted the plan many times to keep overcoming challenges. Today Podcasting has become mainstream and we have prevailed by producing over 17,000 quality podcasts.
Embrace adversity don’t get sucked into following the problem. Learn to look away from where the ball is going and see what opportunities are in the other direction.
BE Positive and You’ll BE Powerful!
by Elayna Fernandez
My personal motto is “BE Positive and You’ll BE Powerful.” Positive thinking is a great tool to use in hard times, because it gives you access to greater inner power.
Being positive is not about pretending that we don’t all go through irreversible, inexplicable, and inescapable pain. Pain is the common thread to our humanity.
I call myself a Student of Pain, because if we’re diligent, pain can be an effective teacher.
I created this formula to remind me of what I must do when I want to quit, when I am suffering, when I feel broken:
Faith + Gratitude = Positivity.
These two gifts are not easily cultivated, especially when you’re in the middle of the struggle; but it is indeed possible!
Having faith means trusting the process. Just like it will take 212 degrees for water to boil – every single time – if you hold on to your vision, show up, and stay committed to take the steps you can take even when it looks like it’s not working, even when it doesn’t feel like it’s worth it, even when it doesn’t look like you’re getting where you want to get, you will see results!
Our outcomes are impacted by our responses to the different events that occur in life, and though we certainly do not choose some experiences we go through, we can focus on learning, growing, and improving.
A lack of faith results in an attitude, attachment, and anxiety that could block new insight, inspiration, solution, lesson, impact, or ideas from coming your way.
Trusting the process is also knowing as we take each step of the process, we will be guided to the next. It’s just easier when we go with that flow, when we surrender to reality and make it our friend.
And that takes me to gratitude. I grew up in a slum and I always say that extreme poverty gave me the gift of perspective. Not everything is grind, pain, rejection, uncertainty, obstacles, hustle, sweat, setback, self-doubt, failure, long hours, blood, and tears – we are just wired to dwell on these a lot longer than we do our celebrations.
I always say that “Gratitude is the birthplace of joy:” Whenever I turn my focus to past and present blessings, to what I’ve endured and what I’ve survived, the journey ahead becomes much easier and joyful. I invite you to try it today!
The Darkest Day Will Pass Away
by Gaurav Bhalla
My #1 tip for coping and overcoming adversity is provided by my favorite wisdom poem:
Watch your thoughts, your thoughts become words
Watch your words, your words become actions,
Watch your actions, your actions become…
First the thought. Think about this:
Everything is temporary in the affairs of humans, so avoid undue depression in adversity and undue elation in prosperity. Or as the favorite inspirational reminds us – this too shall pass. The thought one more time, this time from William Shakespeare (Macbeth):
Come what may Time and the hour runs through the darkest day.
Next, the word.
Imagine someone extremely close to you, extremely close – a sibling, wife/husband, dear friend, son/daughter – comes to you for advice because they are being battered by adversity. What advice would you give them? Think extremely carefully. Then…offer the same advice to yourself. Say it, aloud, clearly, once, twice, thrice, as many times as it takes for you to rise.
Finally, the action.
The ultimate goal, when confronted by adversity, is to get our feet moving again – rally ourselves to keep walking, even though we can’t see through the fog of despair and dark clouds and tears. We must lace our shoes and resume walking. All other choices are infinitely inferior. In the words of the soulful southern hymnal:
We cannot see in the future, but walk on by faith each day.
Good luck folks. We can’t live through life walking on mountain tops alone. But walk we must, regardless of the adversities life tests us with.
Show Your Audience Your Positive Influence!
by Tamara Word-Magalotti
I love a good makeover. I’m one of those girly-girl types that loves pink, cute hearts, gorgeous shoes, and a good romantic comedy. However, in business, things are not always pink and pretty. In business sometimes we have to endure many horrific types of adversity. Whether it be bad luck, hardship, difficulty, sorrow, misery, financial disaster, or even illness. These things unfortunately are just a part of business. We can’t always stop them, but we can find ways to handle setbacks when they show up in our pink and pretty lives. Here are a few tips on giving your audience and yourself a positive makeover.
#1. Show Your Audience Your Integrity.
Be humble, honest, and truthful. No one wants to work with a know it all sleazy salesman. Your clients deserve better. Give them your best by being transparent and honest. They don’t need to know your entire life history, but by being transparent with your audience and your clients this will help them to build trust in you. Clients buy from people they trust.
#2. Update Your Mindset.
There are hundreds of classes, books, videos, and podcasts available on positive mindset. Filling your mind daily with positive information will influence you and your audience for the better. To help your audience, you could start a book club or give your audience a workshop on how to begin their mornings on a positive note, in order to have a more productive day. There are a lot of ways to have a more positive mindset, but if a Book club or workshop is too much, then begin with yourself. Start by reading something positive for 20 minutes per day.
#3. Be Your True Authentic Self.
As I said before, I love pink and pretty things, and that’s what I present to my clients, the girly me. Showing up any other way, would be a falsehood and untrue. A lot of entrepreneurs don’t appreciate who they really are, they think that if they act just like so and so whose made millions, their business is going to explode. Well your audience can see right through this, plus this kind of fakery can lead to impostor syndrome behaviors. I’m always myself, what you see is what you get, even if that means wearing a dress and high heels in the dead of winter. Be yourself. Your clients will appreciate you so much more.
Having Integrity, a positive and productive mindset, as well as, staying true to who you really are, will show your audience that you are a positive Influencer. That what you say matters, and the service you provide is important to the world. We all need more positive Influencers in this life, especially right now. So show up, Be yourself, Now is the time!
Tamara Word-Magalotti is founder of Tamara W. Magalotti & Associates.
A former corporate consultant she now empowers female owned companies and entrepreneurs on how to create, design and launch their most important target goals in 90 days or less. You can reach Tamara at Tamara.Magalotti2@gmail.com
Overcoming Adversity With The Right Mindset
by Brian J. O’Connor, Esq.
As a personal injury lawyer, my sole focus is on helping injured New Yorkers overcome adversity and get their lives back on track. The lessons I’ve learned can be applied to any situation in which you may feel overwhelmed at what life has thrown your way. I want to share with you my advice on how to face life’s obstacles so that you can come out of those moments better, stronger and more prepared the next time life may take you off your path.
The key to overcoming adversity begins and ends with the right mindset. I use the word “mindset” to include your thinking, emotions, and thought process. First, know that you are not alone. The truth is that everyone faces adversity at some point in their lives. How you deal with that adversity will determine whether you succeed or not. With positive thinking, calm emotions and a deliberate thought process, you will overcome adversity and achieve your goals.
Many of my clients deal with significant and sometimes life-altering injuries that can turn anyone’s life upside down. However, these injuries are sometimes secondary to the obstacles they create: inability to work and support a family, increasing debt and financial uncertainty, and feelings of helplessness.
I believe that educating injured New Yorkers on their road ahead helps them learn to overcome adversity. I offer free books on my website (www.oconnorlawfirm.net), including The NYC Accident Book, which provides answers to questions and explains the legal process. I wrote these books to let people know they are not alone in feeling overwhelmed in the aftermath of an injury. Knowing that others have been where they are and have come out better and stronger gives them the confidence they need to succeed and should be the foundation of your thinking as well.
Once you realize there is a way out, you will start thinking positively. Your next step is to develop a goal that keeps you focused. Always start with something simple that you can build upon. Don’t try to do too much too soon. You cannot get to the finish line by skipping the start. The right mindset also includes believing in yourself. Do not listen to the naysayers. Surround yourself with positive thinkers who believe in your success. Lastly, never give up. The right mindset will lead you to overcoming adversity. Best wishes for success!
Have a plan B.
Immigrants’ Attorney Helping Other Immigrants.
by Solomon Kanu
One way to overcome adversity is to prepared for it. Life will always change and the people who survive are those who are ready and adaptable to those changes no matter what thy are. Have strong connections with the people that matter in your life, your spouse, your children, your close friends. Make your lawyer, your accountant, your doctor etc to be people you can reach when issues crop up not people you remember when you need them.
Have a plan B.
Go INTO the Suffering When the Going Gets Tough.
Denise McDermott M.D.
“Face your suffering with a healthy mindset” is the #1 tip to overcoming adversity that I share with my clients.
Life is a series of crisis, stabilization, and thrive cycles.
We can use our experiences and feelings of loss, sadness, betrayal, or anger to create a momentum of change in times of suffering.
When we are in crisis there is infinite unseen energy and potential to grow and thrive.
A positive mindset is a key to being adaptive in times of uncertainty or crisis. At His Holiness Body Mind Life conference “Nurturing Children’s Mental Health” I spoke about the importance of awareness, self-love, and altruism as essential ingredients for optimal mental health and a positive mindset.
With this foundation, we have healthy coping strategies and the ability to “bounce back” when faced with a challenge.
Awareness is achieved through a practice of mindfulness or meditation. We must be calm, present and in the NOW so we can face our suffering head on.
Make time to be in nature, engage in a moving or still meditation to quiet your mind to have clarity of your next move in solving your problem.
Remember meditation is mind medicine and is the gateway drug for awareness.
Love yourself unconditionally with all of your imperfections. Self love Includes healthy nutrition, regular exercise, good sleep hygiene and finding your meditation routine.
A practice of gratitude for everything that is going right in your life is your “secret sauce” to keeping an open and positive mind throughout the day. A healthy lifestyle allows strong self-esteem and you will be able to give yourself an internal pep talk of “It will be ok, this is a temporary state of suffering.”
Altruism allows us to remember we are not alone and takes our minds off of our problems. Help a neighbor, smile at a salesclerk, reach out to a friend, and give a listening ear when you are going through a tough time.
A positive mindset sets the foundation for adapting in times of crisis and reaching your personal thrive with awareness, self-love, and altruism.
Survive to Thrive – 7 Must Have Leadership Habits Amid Global Crisis.
by Faisal Hoque
No one really knows what’s coming around the next corner, we’re all operating on uneven footing. Still, leaders’ jobs haven’t fundamentally changed–we still need to spark creativity, drive progress, and ensure sustainability. So I’ve been reminding myself that while I can’t predict the future, I can at least try to prepare to live in it, make sense of it, and navigate whatever upheavals arise as strategically as possible.
And to do that, I keep going back to these tried-and-true lessons:
- Accept Your Battle — As humans, our instincts are to fight bitterly against the adversity we are faced with. The most resilient among us will often find a way to fight it by embracing it.
2. Leverage Your Solitude — Sometimes we need to slow down in order to move forward. Slowing down is a deliberate choice that can lead to greater appreciation for the inner and outer world. Being truly in the moment allows us to escape from adversity and conserve our inner energy. Solitude allows for slow down.
3. Guide Your Energy — The people we surround ourselves with (virtually or physically) greatly impacts our daily energy. Spending time with people who make you stronger requires intentional effort, and is a key component in being able to move forward. Equally important is to avoid people who bring us down, waste our time, take us backward, and have no interest in our suffering.
4. Achieve Small Goals Every Day — Setting smaller goals for ourselves offers us positive reinforcement when we achieve them. It feels good to know that I am accomplishing something.
5. Influence Others, Then Let Them Influence You — True leaders inspire and influence everyone in good times and bad. Communicating effectively in times of uncertainty means not just articulating your point of view, but listening actively — without bias or judgment and with a real willingness to consider different perspectives.
6. Empathy Always Pays Dividends — Leaders may feel their job is to reassure their teams–to talk more than they’re used to. But I’ve found listening to be even more important. When I’m actively listening, I’ll hear genuine concerns and clear a space for talking level-headedly about how to cope with them together.
7. No Matter What, Move Forward — I’ve found that in trying to instill a sense of mission and purpose in my organization, I need to keep underscoring the urgency of the tasks at hand. Purpose-driven organizations act and adapt. No matter the political, social, or economic climate, there’s always a way to find new market spaces or gaps in existing ones. There are always problems to solve.
Copyright (c) 2020 by Faisal Hoque. All rights reserved.
Serial entrepreneur and author Faisal Hoque is the founder of SHADOKA, which develops accelerators and technology products and solutions for sustainable growth. He is the author of “Everything Connects”, and other books. He has made his entire book “Survive to Thrive” accessible for everyone @ https://www.survivetothrive.online. Follow him on Twitter @faisal_hoque.
Paper Doll an Empowered Woman Extraordinaire.
by LuAn Mitchell
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO INSPIRE YOU.
Throughout time loyalty, conviction and pride have drawn us together, a fundamental basis for belonging. In no other era have we come together to share our legends, education, spiritual Love, and belief systems as we do now in what some have referred to as our “final hour.”
Crisis has always sparked action. Since communication networks were non-existent (as we know them) in previous times, it was difficult, perhaps impossible, for civilization to share its traditions, spiritual revelations, and myths with one another. Now is the Time for us to have our voices heard, Big Media USA Podcasts with a Purpose are that venue. Books like Paper Doll – a Revelations Time Machine – the Truth about your Past are great tools to help us learn to overcome adversity.
LuAn Mitchell also called LA, knows the business. She is known as the Paper Doll.
With long experience as one of the most accomplished women in the world, she is a highly sought after inspirational speaker, life coach, and corporate advisor. Ms. Mitchell has an intimate understanding of the issues of competitiveness and global pressures on the “playing field” in today’s tough “business of life” world. She has successfully turned around, played on and WON the game on tough corporate fields in male dominated industries, and sat on boards with Global female leaders like herself. Her International best Selling Book “Paper Doll” A Revelations time Machine is filled with great advice and powerful action plans.
In fact, the prestigious McGill University of Montreal, Quebec presented her with their Management Achievement Award and she was named the American Biographical Institutes “Woman of the Year” as well as being awarded their “Lifetime Achievement Award.” “Ms. Mitchell has been inducted as a “Leading Woman Entrepreneur of the World” in several countries across the planet. In a nationwide search, and for THREE consecutive years, she was named Canada’s Number One Female Entrepreneur.
Each of us has a little voice inside us that can help us when making difficult decisions. Sometimes it’s easy to recognize this voice—you can feel it deep in your gut. I believe our God-given instincts tap into our deeper knowledge. They help us uncover what we already know. Our instincts are an unconscious skill, a survival mechanism that can be used repeatedly to great advantage. Whether you think of it as following your instincts or going with your gut, I know you can’t go wrong if you are true to that voice deep within you. LA Mitchell is the President and Co-Owner of Big Media USA, a communications company based in California.
Embrace the Suck: Why Entrepreneurs Should Enjoy Adversity
by Aaron Armstrong
Aaronjarmstrong.com | Podcast: Winners, Wallets, and Worldviews
Adversity is no stranger to the entrepreneur’s journey. Someone willing to stomach the roller coaster of a start-up experience has a unique ability to step out of their comfort zone. When I was in the army, we had a saying called “embrace the suck.” This saying was often thrown around during times of extreme stress or difficulty to encourage people to realize that difficulty is part of the profession, so embrace it. Frankly, that is the advice I would give to an entrepreneur as they face the growing hardships of a start-up. “Embrace the suck.”
Entrepreneurship is about solving problems.
On my podcast Winners, Wallets, and Worldviews, I interviewed serial entrepreneur Nate Scott, who insisted “The difficulty of the problem and the necessity of the problem is directly proportional to the success of the venture.” Therefore, a successful entrepreneur needs to get comfortable with complexity. Adversity should be an indicator of the potential success of the business.
Another guest on my show, Mike Erwin founder of the non-profit Team Red, White, and Blue said “get comfortable with chaos.” When working on a new venture, complexity, difficulty, and chaos are signs that you are working on a big problem. Big problems indicate big potential. Many people fail to see a problem as an opportunity. Rather, they see problems merely as obstacles. To a new business, the challenges presented often reveal potential opportunities for a new market, leaner operations, or high customer satisfaction. Take, for example, customer frustrations. A customer being frustrated is certainly a problem. But, their problems often reveal significant insight into how you can continuously improve your value proposition.
Jim Young was one of my podcast guests who is an eight-figure real estate investor and fellow graduate of the United States Military Academy. He also was one of my most downloaded guests due to the tactical advice he brought to the listeners. He mentioned that one way you separate yourself as a successful real estate investor is to be willing to take on the largest problems because embedded in those problems is the largest opportunity. He shared an example of a property that had sewage issues beneath the ground causing extremely high costs to any developer. He decided to take on that problem because no one would touch it. Sometime later, that turned into one of his largest investment.
So, what is my advice for someone going through adversity in the early phases of a business? Learn to enjoy the struggle. The harder it is the tastier the reward. Simply put, embrace the suck.
Focus on the Goal, Not the Problems
by Robert Edwards
It’s easy to become focused on adversity in our lives. But when we focus on the problems themselves, we are focusing on the negative. A negative mindset can make us feel overwhelmed and lose track of why we started the entrepreneurial journey in the first place. When we focus on adversity itself, adversity becomes the fixation.
Instead of focusing on the problem, continue to reflect and focus on the end goal.
Revisit the “why” of the journey and what awaits after these challenges are overcome. This helps by providing a more positive mental state, and a mind more receptive to finding solutions and pushing through problems.
Your Go-To Plan for Overcoming the Coronavirus Shutdown
by Ed Forteau
Many local businesses are facing the biggest challenge of their business lives…reopening during the time of coronavirus.
We are anxious because the path forward is so unclear. Most local businesses are underfunded, and facing restrictions, which further complicates the success of reopening.
For many local businesses, the path to a successful reopening will be the proper use of email.
Email has consistently produced the highest ROI of any marketing method, because it allows you to have true one-to-one communication with your customers.
Your reopening email strategy should consist of four parts:
- Your Reopening Announcement
- Customer Survey
- An Editorial Calendar
- Event Promotion
Announce your reopening to your customers. Thank them for their patronage. Let them know how much you appreciate them. Then transition into exactly what you are doing to keep them safe in your store. Be specific in the details. Your customers want to know.
Then conduct a customer survey. Find out what they are comfortable doing. This will change monthly, so you should prepare a new survey each month.
Here are some sample survey questions to get you started:
– Do you plan on shopping in-store when stores reopen? If not, how long would you wait?
– What is your biggest concern about going in-store?
– What would make you more comfortable shopping in-store?
– What type of product(s) would you buy first?
– What activities do you plan on doing more now? Less?
Based on the survey responses, create an editorial calendar. This calendar provides some stability for your customer, as it shows you are leading the way toward normalcy. They will also take some ownership in it, since they played a major role in creating it. You should let them know that, and thank them. It will give them a much-needed sense of community…that we are in this together.
Send out an email for each event on the calendar. Encourage engagement by asking questions that lead to your customers replying to your emails, calling you, and scheduling appointments.
Finally, make sure your emails get received. Sadly, up to 51% of marketing emails are never received. For a successful reopening, every email counts. We created an Email Open Rate Optimization & Delivery Checklist to ensure when you send it, your emails get delivered. You can get FREE it at: https://edforteau.com/email-open-rate-optimation-checklist/
Ed Forteau is the founder of Forteau Media, and has advised local business owners for over 30 years.
How To Be an Inventor? The Real Story of The Invention for 3.3M Us Wheelchair Users.
by Nikita Chizhov
Innovation always comes from adversity. Having started studying the roar in 2017, I decided to look for innovation at the largest exhibition in Moscow and came to the rehabilitation exhibition. I asked the participants: “What can made your life better?”. And in long conversations with my current friend Dmitry Drobin, I got a concept that will change the market. “It would be cool if the device would attach directly to my stroller …” he said. I drove with a thirst in my eyes, bought a wheelchair for myself, took a sheet and started to think of drawing, and within 5 hours I drew a concept. So the idea of Legmaker came up.
These moments remain in memory forever. Just sit down and draw a concept, and then, find design engineers, produce a prototype, register, enter the market, and continue to invent. I will recommend a book that puts everything on the shelves in my head about the process of creating an invention. How to License Your Million Dollar Idea: Everything You Need to Know to Turn a Simple Idea Into a Million Dollar by Harvey Reese.
I am proud to create what I started every day, my favorite company Rehabmaker, Houston, TX – manufacturer of physical therapy equipment, invented equipment that transforms pedal exercisers market, that main sector of global rehabilitation market that in 2025 plan to achieve $ 205B market.
An invention called LegMaker US patent 10603541 is a low-cost, high-function physiotherapy pedal device that easily attaches to wheelchairs it contains lithium-ion rechargeable battery powers for 8 hours. LegMaker allows to wheelchair user easy switch on the speed of the electrical motor and legs will be move and users at this time may spend time walking, sport, or whatever they want.
I wish you all success in introducing your innovations!
Sincerely, Nikita Chizhov
CEO Rehabmaker Corporation
Change Your Thoughts, You Change Your World
by Yael N. Lazar, Esq
Estateplanningangel.com | Irsangel.com
In today’s rapidly-changing and uncertain world, many of us are navigating an array of challenges, including safeguarding our health and family, the loss of a loved one, financial distress, and the fear of the unknown. While it is impossible to be entirely prepared for all of life’s challenges, we can experience some measure of control by having the foresight and commitment to take actionable steps that can potentially influence positive outcomes. The key to overcoming adversity for me has always been to have the right mindset. I keep a positive frame of mind and surround myself with positive, supportive individuals. It’s not about what happens to you emotionally, physically or financially, but rather how you react to it. The only part we can control are our thoughts.
The first step is to stop making excuses.
They are limiting beliefs that we tell ourselves because deep down we are fearful of the future, the unknown or even of success. Our thoughts can both fuel and extinguish the fires of success. Our thoughts become self-fulling prophecies. If your internal dialogue is positive and confident you are more likely to succeed. If your internal dialogue is negative, you’ll likely fail every time. Set your mind and confidence will lead the way. Always try to find the positive in every situation of adversity. If you are conscious of this, it will eventually become a habit and you’ll slowly see things in your world change for the better. You’ll attract like-minded people, situations and opportunities that will help you overcome your adversity.
Personally, this positive mindset has served me well. I’ve built a successful tax and estate planning law practice, co-authored two books, including a best seller, I’ve been recognized in the media and have been recognized by my peers and by my clients for being a dedicated and results-driven practitioner. All of these achievements occurred when I shifted my thoughts.
My positive outlook is also reflected in how I operate my business. I’ve dedicated my career to helping others, and I am known as the IRSAngel and Estate Planning Angel. People associate angels with looking over loved ones, and that is what I try to do for my clients when assisting them with their tax and estate planning.
If you have minor children, you need a Kids Protection Plan®. It’s a set of instructions and legal documents which protect your children should something happen to you. You can even start the process of naming guardians for free on my website because I feel it’s that important to have.
For more information, please check out my websites (www.estateplanningangel.com and www.irsangel.com).
Why Do You Need To Embrace Adversity?
by Soul Ongoiba
Championssuccessacademy.com
What is adversity? In the dictionary –Adversity means “a state or instance of serious or continued difficulty or misfortune”.
Before we go further, we need to pause and understand three principles:
Principle one- As I believe, So is my experience.
Are you able to acknowledge right now, the reason you are reading these lines is because you have been asking yourself the question
– How can I better my conditions? How can I overcome adversity in my life in this very moment?
The fundamental principle one has been spoken in all traditions for thousands of years. “As you believe, it should be done unto you” or “Ask and you should receive” the caveat is that you have to be ready to receive (You cannot receive what you have not accepted).
So congratulations, you have asked and you have accepted hence you are reading this. I want you to be cognizant of this moment.
Principle two- Life is always happening seeking a freer and fuller expression.
There’s vital energy, always at work in every living being.
That vital energy is animating our breathe, our heart beat, the grass growing; it’s in the bird, in the tree; it’s permeating all living things. The fact that you are reading this right now is a reminder for you to pause, take a deep breath and acknowledge that life energy that is given to all of us. That is your birth right.
All the grass need in order to grow is fertile soil, water and the sun. That life energy is here for all as long we follow the law.
Principle three- When there’s no resistance, there’s no growth.
All growth comes from practice. Adversities in our lives are for our spirit, what weight lifting dumbbell’s are for our biceps- they train it and make it stronger.
If you can see and internalize these three principles, then overcoming adversity becomes simple(not necessarily easy)
Because principle one reminds us that any circumstances present in our lives are brought forth by us (not someone else). That acknowledgment and ownership of the root cause of the adversity, lead us to ask ourselves -Principle two in action- How can this difficulty, contribute toward my growth in reaching my ideal self (that’s key- what is your goal, Your chief definite aim?)
Then if you are able to own your difficulties and understand why and what you need to develop in order to get to your ideal. Naturally, you will develop a path to overcome the adversity because you have understood that life is NOT happening TO YOU, but instead it’s happening WITH YOU.
