When life gets tough, it’s tempting to just give up and throw in the towel.
However, that’s not you. You’re strong, resilient, and more capable than you tend to give yourself credit for. You’re not going to let tough times or big challenges get the better of you. Instead, you’re going to do these things to remind yourself just how amazing you are, and then you’re going to get through this.
1. Picture your future self thanking you.
Imagining your future self can create a powerful shift in how you handle current challenges. When you’re stuck in a difficult moment, visualising your future self feeling grateful for pushing through can provide unexpected motivation. A bit of mental time travel helps create an emotional connection between your present actions and future outcomes, making it easier to choose harder but more rewarding paths.
2. Break down big problems into silly small steps.
Taking a huge task and chopping it into ridiculously tiny pieces can transform overwhelming challenges into manageable bits. Instead of “clean the house,” try “put three things away” or “wipe one counter.” When we make tasks almost laughably small, we bypass the brain’s resistance to big challenges. Weirdly enough, doing it this way usually leads to getting more done because starting becomes so easy that momentum naturally builds.
3. Turn your inner critic into a funny voice.
Negative self-talk loses much of its power when delivered in a cartoon character’s voice or silly accent. A simple mental shift can transform harsh self-criticism into something more manageable and less threatening. By adding an element of playfulness to our internal dialogue, we create emotional distance from negative thoughts while maintaining the ability to self-reflect constructively.
4. Create a mental highlight reel.
Building a collection of past successes in your mind works like a personal confidence bank you can draw from when needed. Taking time to regularly revisit moments when you’ve overcome challenges reinforces your ability to handle difficult situations. Your mental library of victories becomes a powerful resource during times when self-doubt creeps in or obstacles seem insurmountable.
5. Play the observer in your own story.
Stepping back to view your situation as if watching a movie about someone else can provide surprising clarity and emotional distance. Changing the way you see things helps reduce the intensity of emotions while maintaining awareness of the situation. When we view our challenges from an observer’s viewpoint, we often discover solutions that weren’t visible when we were too emotionally entangled.
6. Treat yourself like a good friend.
Approaching your own struggles with the same kindness you’d offer a friend can dramatically shift how you handle difficult situations. Most of us naturally know how to be supportive and understanding with other people but forget to extend that same grace to ourselves. Doing so leads to more balanced and constructive problem-solving approaches.
7. Use your body to trick your mind.
Making small physical adjustments can create surprising shifts in mental state. Standing in a confident posture, taking deeper breaths, or simply relaxing your shoulders can send powerful signals to your brain about how to feel. The mind-body connection works both ways, and sometimes adjusting the physical can be an easier starting point than trying to directly change thoughts.
8. Create a mental waiting room.
Developing the ability to put thoughts “on hold” rather than trying to banish them completely offers a more manageable way to handle difficult ideas or decisions. Like a mental waiting room, this space allows you to acknowledge thoughts or concerns without letting them dominate your current focus. It also helps maintain awareness while creating helpful emotional distance.
9. Play with different time perspectives.
Shifting your time frame can dramatically change how you view current challenges. Asking yourself how this situation will look in a week, a month, or a year helps maintain perspective during tough moments. Looking toward the future can reduce the intensity of present struggles while highlighting what truly matters in the longer term.
10. Turn problems into experiments.
Adopting a scientist’s mindset toward challenges can transform threatening situations into interesting investigations. When we view difficulties as experiments, failures become valuable data points rather than personal shortcomings. This way, you maintain curiosity and resilience while reducing the emotional weight of setbacks.
11. Create a mental control room.
Imagining an internal control panel where you can adjust different aspects of your response to situations provides a helpful framework for emotional regulation. Visualisation gives you a sense of agency over your reactions, while acknowledging that different situations might require different settings. The mental control room becomes a tool for consciously choosing how to engage with challenges.
12. Build momentum with tiny wins.
Source: Unsplash Understanding how small victories create psychological momentum can help you navigate through larger challenges more effectively. Each small accomplishment builds confidence and energy for the next step, creating a positive spiral of progress. This approach transforms daunting tasks into a series of achievable victories that naturally lead to larger successes.
13. Use your imagination as a practice ground.
Source: Unsplash Mental rehearsal of challenging situations can build confidence and competence before you face real challenges. Taking time to visualise successful navigation of difficult scenarios helps create neural pathways that support better real-world performance. This mental practice becomes a safe space to explore different approaches and build confidence gradually.
