How to Turn Everyday Challenges Into Opportunities

One of the oldest surviving maxims in the world is “Perfection is the enemy of progress,†and there is a reason the saying has survived as long as it has – because it is one hundred percent true. A big part of receiving counseling services is coming to terms with the fact that as much as we would like the world to be perfect, it is not, and never will be.

This is especially true when receiving depression therapy or grief therapy, as it focuses on particularly challenging times in a person’s life. One of the biggest concepts that a therapist will try to impress on a client during these times is the importance of turning everyday challenges into opportunities, and how essential that is as both a coping mechanism in times of trauma and as an overall survival skill. Using this as a starting point, let’s take a few moments and look at some strategies that will allow you to do just that outside of a therapeutic setting.

Make Peace with Imperfection at the Outset

It is important to understand that things rarely, if ever, go exactly as you planned them – that is why Murphy’s Law, or “Anything that can go wrong, will†is so well known. Do not hold yourself personally accountable for every little mishap, and instead focus on moving forward to the next task at hand.

Think in Terms of Chess, Not Checkers

One of the most common areas people get hung up on is not having the ability to see the big picture or the long term effects of their actions, because they are so hung up on the present and the instant gratification we’ve become so accustomed to expect in modern society. The real world does not move at the speed of our minds though, and we have to take time to remember that. Life is a game of chess, not checkers, so think long term.

Embrace Flexibility as a Positive Trait

Another place where people have become confused is the value of being flexible, as it is now viewed in certain circles as being “weak†or “soft.†This is not a wise approach to take, as it locks you in to patterns of thinking that are often small minded and prevents you from being able to successfully take in new information to your problem solving systems.

Commitment, Commitment, Commitment

As long as you are still trying to achieve a goal, you have not failed, and you have not lost. Choosing to keep going, even when it hurts the most, is where true progress and growth come from. Those moments are often where the most valuable life lessons are gleaned from.

Learning to turn everyday challenges into opportunities is just one valuable skill you will learn when you enroll in counseling services with Smith Psychotherapy Associates. Contact them via their website or by phone to schedule an appointment today and learn more about what they can do for you.