3 Ways to Bounce Back After a Setback
A Setback Is a Setup For a Comeback!
Maybe you’ve heard that quote before….. a book, an inspirational poem, a sermon from your favorite pastor. I first heard it many years ago around this time of the year. A visiting pastor gave a sermon with that title during Resurrection Week revival at church. While I cannot remember the details he shared, the concept definitely stuck with me to this day.
Whatever you may be going through at this time is only temporary. A “valley” that you may be experiencing at this moment won’t last forever, change is just ahead once you reach the top of the mountain…keep going. Keep the faith, you will come out on the other side victoriously! But remember, it may take a little work on your own behalf... read below as I explain.
As if the past few years haven’t been enough with the pandemic, war, national civil turmoil, increased illnesses, lost jobs & lost lives, we still each have our own personal battles that we are dealing with. Sometimes it seems that just when one particular situation is under control, something else pops up to knock us off our square. Feels like you cannot catch a break! I mean, seriously, what did you do (and to whom did you do it) to bring on these disruptions to your well-oiled, well-planned out life??!!! Well, don’t take it personally, you’re not alone. It’s all part of this thing called life that we are truly blessed to be living. So, what do we do???…..
Ways to Bounce Back
Set clear & precise intentions
Decide what you want your comeback to look like, what it should entail. Pray about it, then take action. That may mean speaking the words out loud to a loved one, making a list, creating a vision board, or even recording yourself speaking your comeback intro fruition.
And be specific…I’m talking down to the nitty-gritty details. Include each step you will take, today, tonight, tomorrow, next week, and even next month. We’ve got to be intentional about coming back strong, armed and ready to meet and defeat any obstacle that stands to get in our way.
Acknowledge what you may need to do differently
We are not perfect. *Gasp! We all make mistakes and poor choices. That’s all part of this life we’re living that I mentioned above. But it's all part of growing and getting better, bouncing back even.
Once you’ve learned a lesson or found the error in your ways, action may need to be taken on your part. This might include switching up your usual mode of operation, apologizing to someone, retraining yourself on a particular topic, or even just holding yourself accountable for your own private thoughts. Lay it all on the line, but at the same time don’t be too hard on yourself. Show yourself some grace throughout this process. Challenging situations can often teach us what we have left to learn.
Take care of yourself
Take your time and take care of yourself. There’s no rush in healing and regrouping. I mean we do want to come back stronger, right? Read and reread motivational, inspirational, or encouraging words from others. Earlier, I mentioned prayer because it has most definitely helped me through some of the most difficult trials of my life. However, I also know the importance of reading biographies, and certainly autobiographies, of those who have been there, done that…. specifically meaning that they may have experienced adversity and difficult times, but they are willing share their ways of overcoming.
Other ideas include getting outdoors, getting moving, and in turn, getting inspired. Wake up early to catch the sunrise with a brisk walk. Listen to the birds chirp to be reminded of the beauty that surrounds us. Complete a workout to sweat out any worries and get your heart pumping with anticipation of the change to come.
