How to run hard when it’s hard to run!

Now and then we may find ourselves confronted with a new challenge, be it finishing a creative project, moving through a job or some life transitions, evolving to the next level in our career or just trying to be happy in the everyday chaos. Each of us, at some point, can find ourselves clasped and wondering when we will get through to the other side of an obstacle. Here are a few ways for you to keep going even when the going gets tough!

Learn and have fun. Yes, this is a mere, yet compelling approach. When was the last time you laughed your heart out and had fun? Oftentimes, when we are accomplishing a project, which is extremely important, we somehow misplace our sense of humour. Things take on a serious tone because we are so focused on swaying forward. Take a moment out for yourself, listen to your favourite song or watch a comedian. Give yourself a fair share of laughter and fun. By doing so, you may ascertain that keeping things light will help you reconnect to the bigger picture and you will find yourself rolling forward on your journey.

Connect to your community. Tap into other like-minded and positive people and be available for a shift in perspective. Indulge yourself. Try being extra kind to yourself, notably at times when you feel baffled. Try giving yourself a reward or bribe or take some time off so you can pamper yourself and recharge your batteries. Sometimes a change in your immediate environment or a different activity is just the thing you need to jumpstart yourself.

Try an attitude of gratitude. Take a moment to see what is going well with the project you are working on. See what is in your life, rather than focusing on what is abstaining or lacking. It can feel like a breath of fresh air when we only concentrate on getting a task completed. Break down an overwhelming project into bite-sized pieces. Select one action daily that moves you forward. Remember, every great novel gets scripted, one page at a time. Pick something you can do in a specific time frame with a definitive beginning, middle and end.

Lastly, do something for someone else. Random acts of kindness will not only help others but will also benefit you. The key here is to be available and help with open arms and heart and not out of a sense of duty or ‘should’. Focus on the process, not the result. You will have a marvellous future if you live well today and always remember, ‘if opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.

As all of us can use a little inspiration now and then, here are some examples of people who kept on going even when the going was tough.

1. Albert Einstein could not speak efficiently until he was four years old and could not read well until he was seven years old. His teachers described him as an unsociable child who is mentally slow, and someone who’s always dreaming. This is the same person who reshaped our understanding of how the universe operates.
2. Thomas Edison tried two thousand different materials in search of a filament for a light bulb. When none of them worked out, his assistant complained, “all our work is in vain. We haven’t learnt anything.” Edison replied confidently, “oh, we have come a long way in learning a lot through these failed experiments. We now know that there are a thousand elements that we cannot use to make a good light bulb.”
3. The editor of a popular everyday newspaper rejected Walt Disney for his lack of ideas. He also faced bankruptcy not once or twice but several times before he built Disneyland.
4. Before he got elected to the presidency, Abraham Lincoln lost nine public elections, declared bankruptcy twice, and weathered a nervous breakdown and the death of a fiancé. He was a firm believer of the fact that until you have hope, you cannot fail.

So you see, if you don’t lose hope, you can achieve a lot. And that’s how my friends, you learn how to run hard when it’s hard to run.