(Newswire.net — July 18, 2021) — Life is full of challenges that shape our character and our paths. Some of the obstacles we face are easy to get past, while others require a lot of effort to overcome.
The current challenges you’re facing could be in your personal life or your career. Either way, there are some characteristics that make it easier to handle any issue.
You don’t have to be born with these traits to learn to use them to your advantage. As you’re faced with challenges, focus on honing these three essential tips. You’ll gradually see obstacles as growth opportunities instead of problems.
1. Be Resilient
As children, we’re born naturally resilient because we don’t know what to expect out of the world. Over the years, this slowly disappears as we try to control our lives.
Resiliency, also known as flexibility, is one of the best traits you can have. Life isn’t always predictable. When things don’t go the way you expected, what do you do?
If change upsets you, you need to work on this character trait. You don’t need to start from scratch to develop resilience. You were born with it; you just need to bring it back to life.
2. Be Proactive
Some of the obstacles you face in life are completely unexpected, like tragic accidents. Others are a compound effect of the actions and non-actions you’ve taken thus far.
Living a passive life is easier at that moment. But it sets you up for a lot more obstacles. When you’re actively making decisions, you can avoid a lot of those problems.
Will You Float or Swim Through Life?
Think of it as though you’ve been dropped in a rapidly flowing river called Life. You figure out you can stay afloat easily enough without putting much effort in. But you’re constantly running into rocks and debris and getting bounced around.
Instead of passively floating to your destination, you can take proactive steps. Look ahead at any oncoming boulders and swim away from them. Follow the currents and get where you’re going faster by taking an active role, no matter where you are.
The Difference Between an Active or Passive Promotion Attempt
As a real-life example, a physician is ready to level up and become a medical director. This person has the experience but isn’t actively working on the skills necessary to get the position.
Meanwhile, someone else is proactively studying articles on how to become a medical director. This person has comparable experience. Because they knew what was expected, they were chosen for the position.
It’s the difference between living actively and passively. When you’re proactive, life happens for you instead of to you.
3. Develop Your EQ
Society often puts the wrong emphasis on IQ. Your intelligence is measured from grade school through college. But what a lot of people don’t realize is that your EQ is even more important.
EQ is the term for emotional intelligence. How you read others and how you approach them is an essential part of life.
Using Your EQ to Get Through Problems
When you have a strong EQ, your relationships are more likely to be healthy. People with a secure network of friends and colleagues are able to use their support systems to get through challenges.
It’s a common misconception that it’s better to handle obstacles on your own. People who feel this way don’t want to admit that they need help, and they don’t want to “owe” anyone.
If that sounds like you, your EQ is exactly what you need to work on.
Changing Your “Teamwork” Perspective
Humans aren’t meant to be alone. There’s a reason for the cliches like “There’s no I in teamwork” and “Two heads are better than one.” Life is easier when you have someone else to go through it with.
Sometimes, you might just need another perspective. Asking a friend for their thoughts gives you another way of looking at an obstacle. It might even be a better solution.
Other times, they may have a skill you’re weak in and vice versa. Using your EQ traits is a way to help each other without making the other person feel inadequate.
This trait of EQ, otherwise known as basic human understanding, can be honed. No matter how introverted or socially awkward you feel, work on this characteristic, and you’ll find it easier to face any future challenges.
Conclusion
Personal and work challenges aren’t as different as they seem from a distance. All you need to do is develop the key traits of resiliency, proactive measures, and emotional intelligence. Once you have them mastered, any obstacle is overcome much easier.