Kick Life in the Throat!

Life is running smoothly, people around you are happy, you are genuinely feeling good and have found your happiness pace, and then – Bam! Life sneaks up from behind and smacks you in the back of the head. I admit that there have been times when this has happened to me and I felt like laying down and tapping out of the fight. Luckily, that feeling typically doesn't last very long. I am fortunate to be surrounded by strong people who don't let me wallow in self-pity for very long and I am a fighter by birth. I understand that some people are more passive and can be really affected by negative occurrences in life. No matter how strong we are, all of us can all benefit from some strategies that will help us get back up and rejoin the fight!

So what do you do when life bites you? My answer is simple: Kick life in the throat!

Let's face it, there are a myriad of things that can be viewed as curve balls thrown at you in life: Illnesses, unruly children, idiots at work, bad people, bad news, a broken nail, extra pounds on the scale, a husband who won't take out the trash, an unexpected bill.... The list goes on and I'm sure that each of you reading this could name another 50 things I could add. The fact of the matter is this- life is not always peaches and cream; Sometimes it can be a real pain in the a**! How you choose to handle these trying situations will determine how happy the life you are living is going to be. Let me give you some ideas that you can use to "throw some dirt on it" when you are facing life's difficulties and challenges:

1. Find your tough friends and family! You know who I'm talking about…The people in your life who, if you needed them to, would form a posse and fight to the death for you. These people are strong and tenacious and will definitely help pull you up by your bootstraps.  

2. Remember that you are worth fighting for and recognize the value you bring to the world! If you are a truly good person, you don’t deserve being made to feel less than that by anyone. If something or someone has wronged you, be a straight arrow and face the situation head-on. When someone upsets you or treats you badly, be honest with that person (in a sensitive way of course). Harboring anger and resentment is only going to make you feel worse. This is not a permit to be overly sensitive and whiny about everything people in your life do "wrong". Do not expect your friends and family to be perfect. They aren't, and neither are you.

3. If you wronged somebody, even by accident, say sorry – and mean it. We all make mistakes. Owning yours will make you feel better than creating a bunch of anger around something that was your fault to begin with.

4. Laugh! Watch a funny movie or spend some time with a friend that keeps you in stitches. There are not many better cures than laughter.

5. Downshift! If you are running on all cylinders and have drained your energy to the level of nonexistent, it is time for a break. You might need to remove yourself from people (so you don't literally kick anyone in the throat) and enjoy some silence.

6. Get a diet lemonade from Chick-fil-A. They're yummy! If your day was extraordinarily challenging, throw a splash of vodka in it. We won't judge you.

7. Understand your hormones. Ladies, we all know what I mean here. It might behoove you to identify where your anger is coming from. Was what happened as bad as you think or is your body exacerbating the anger? ;-)

8. Ignore the idiots. The world is riddled with people who have less than average intelligence and an overall lack of common sense. Try to dismiss them and remind yourself that you are not responsible for their stupidity. No, this isn’t very “nice”, but it is true. There is no sense in getting upset by people who don’t know what they’re talking about.

9. Remember that everything you face is meant for something greater. You are in the situation and are invariably going to learn some type of a lesson that will help you for something you will have to handle in your life. While some of these tests and trails can be painful, the payoff is usually amazing. Show life that you are not afraid to get your hands dirty and kick a little butt.

10. Pray. Give thanks for everything that is going well in your life and ask for a little guidance in handling situations that are proving to be difficult.

11. Delete toxic people and situations from your life. If you’re seeing a reoccurring pattern from the same person, it might be time to reevaluate the friendship. You should have far more good times with people than those that upset you. If there is a situation that keeps causing you angst, get rid of it!

12. Meditate. I know this might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it works for me. I like short, guided meditations. They help bring me back to reality and calm down with things get a bit hectic. If you don’t like to meditate, no worries! You might try taking a quiet walk (to a calm, quiet place if available) and take some deep breaths.

13. Do something nice for someone else. Granted, life might be testing you and you might not feel like you have anything to give... That is when giving is the most powerful! Do something nice for someone who can’t repay you and might not even know you were behind the treat they unexpectedly received.

14. Exercise! Go for a run, swim, ride your bike, do 100 jumping jacks… MOVE YOUR BODY! The endorphins created by exercise will help clear your head and motivate you. I get some of my best ideas while I am jogging. It is my therapy!

Well, do you feel any better? I hope so! I truly believe that once you show life you are not easily picked on or knocked down, you are going to see some amazing changes. Life is beautiful! There are going to be hard times and that's ok because you can handle them. Be strong, fight for your happiness and LOVE LIFE!!!