You Can Do It!-Encourage for Difficult Days

I believe that often during the week, month and year we are faced with difficult days. We have dreams and we set goals to meet that will ensure we are heading out on the right path to see that dream come to fruition. But then we have one of those difficult days and find ourselves discouraged. How do we learn to handle these difficult days? How do others encourage ourselves to stay on track? How can we find the motivation to continue? What resources are available?
Let’s explore this topic today and learn that we really can do it as long as we don’t let the difficult days or situations stop our dreams.

There are many good books to read on this subject. Two books that I have read are as follows: The Bumps are What You Climb On written by Warren W. Wiersbe and The Dream Giver written by Bruce Wilkerson. I read both books and find that they are written in such a way that everyone reading will understand their subject. I recommend that you check them out at the library or purchase them from our local stores.

In this article I will touching on the highlights of these books and in hopes that I can encourage you to continue on with your dreams and goals.

"The Bumps are What You Climb On"
I have been a reader of autobiographies and I have yet to find a successful person who has not had setbacks and days of discouragement. When I was a young girl and even during my teaching years, I loved to read about people. I have always been a people watcher and a student of life. So any book that taught about why we do what we do or how we do what we want to do was purchased, read and then had a place on the shelf in my library.

Reading autobiographies will give you a much clearer picture of that person. There is so much more to know about a successful person, they also have a story behind them that will inspire you. Looking at them from a distance you might think they had it made and that life was easy for them. But, as you look closer you will see that they too experienced some bumps on the road of life. They too had to find a way around, over, under, or through the bumps in their road of life.

You can even read in the Old Testament about the forefather’s journey through life. You will read of how their faith failed. We all will have bumps in the road of life. It is how we handle those bumps that will be the difference in succeeding or failing.

I don’t know what difficulties you are facing, but I do know some of the feeling you have, because I been on a bumpy road myself. I have felt like quitting, giving up. I have asked the questions of God, like why won’t you remove this stone or why can’t this path be straighter. But, like the Good Book and these other books teach, it is the bumps in life that make us stronger. But most of us respond to the difficulties in life by complaining about them. We try to get rid of the difficulty. We try to get out of it. Some of us even let the situation stop us. The trouble is that most of us have been accustomed to the easy way out of life. Mom and dad have helped us out of difficulties, teachers have made it easy on us, and pastors have not taught us to expect difficulties nor what to do about them. See we want the streets of our lives to be paved and to have no pot holes.

The good thing is that life is NOT all a series of defeats. If so we would get too discouraged. Our road in life does have some level places free from pot holes and bumps. These places delight us and give us energy to keep walking. The pot holes and bumps are difficult and will challenge us.

He Is Still In Control
What we will discover is that we can’t depend on own rule or our own thinking. We really do not know what lies ahead or around the corner. We can’t rely on others who have never walked the path, because they are no better at preventing potholes or bumps in their own life. But we can encourage and lift each other up while traveling on this road of life. And we can gain great encouragement by knowing that our Creator is still in charge. If he is on the throne of your life, then you can face tomorrow with courage and confidence.

Take A Good Look Around
On your road of life be aware of the three important looks. Look around, look back, and look ahead. Sounds like good advice. But many times we only look at one and not all three. People can get stuck on their road of life by always looking back. Looking back all they see is their failures and defeats. If we look back and only see the defeat or failure, it would really be hard to move ahead. But it is good to look back to see what you did and where you came from. Look back and see how you came through the difficulties; how you were successful.
We must look around. If we pay attention to our life around us, we are staying in tune to life. We see the difficulties of others and with our strengths can help them along their road of life.

Looking around means we care for the now. It means we have eyes to see the now. How difficult life would be if others did not take the time to look around at us. Looking around lets you see what could be done. What could be done right now with your experience and knowledge? Looking around is part of the balance of walking. Not only do we look ahead, we look around. How is your walk? Are you looking around and doing well on your road of life?

The third look is ahead. As we look ahead we are dreaming. The goals we set are steps on the road of life that will get us to our dream. Our dreams help us to keep going. The Good Book says without a dream, man perishes. So dream and live.

Just remember to keep yourself in balance by looking back for successes, looking around to learn more and looking ahead to the outcome of your diligent walk.

Alright, we have gotten a pretty good idea of dreams and goals and how they relate to our walk in life. But now let’s discuss ways to overcome the difficulties or bumps along the way.
Living through Disappointments
Each of us must learn to handle disappointments of life. Many have experienced a dream that got shattered and have had their plans change. Sometimes disappointment so crushes a person that they are handicapped and unable to move forward. And on the flip side there are people who can rise above the broken dreams and live in victory. What is necessary- is for us to learn something very vital. We have to learn to expect disappointments. Our life journey will not always be rosy and sunny. Disappointments and heartaches will come. That is life. There are many stories that tell of people who failed and failed and failed, yet never gave up. You too have to understand that disappointments will come in life.
We must never try to trick ourselves that the disappointment doesn’t hurt or matter. We must admit that the disappointment hurts, talk to others who have also had a bump in the road to find out what they did with their bump in the road. The most important thing is talk it out.

How about talking to someone about your disappointment? Would this help you? If you think it would, then do it. But be careful though. Be careful who you talk to. If you think that people won't understand, and you will feel even more disappointed after the talk, do yourself a favor and don't do it.

Talk only to people that care about you and that you know are not negative people. Negative people tend to share their negativity, whether willingly or not. You will be better if you avoid talking to such people.

Search for positive people that seem to run over disappointment every time they see it in their way. These are the ones that will give you a great lesson on a silver plate.
Shift your focus

Shifting your focus is a great way to get over disappointment. All you have to do is do it when disappointment shows its ugly face. For example: If you plan to go to trade school, but something happens and you are unable to attend. What can you do? You can get, angry, disappointed and feel hopeless. That’s a horrible idea! Don't even think about it!

Instead, look around. You may find a your neighbor is home from the hospital and needs help this summer, and you have some spare time on your hands, why don't you do something to help. You always wanted to do something nice for him but never seemed to have time to do it. Well, you have now, so do it! You can find good even in a disappointment you just have to look around.

It is important to expect bumps in the road of life.
Allow the bumps in the road to build your character. How one handles himself during a bump will reveal his maturity level. When we accept bumps and handle them with maturity we will leave something behind for others on the road of life.
A beautiful thing happens when we overcome the bumps in life, we are going to experience sweetness from those rocks and bumps. Reading the biblical story of Joseph and his brothers, or King David will show how disappointments are only temporary.

Put Things into Perspective
At first, your disappointment can feel like the end of the world. It’s not easy to accept that you’ve worked hard to attain a certain outcome and now you face disappointment. Let yourself know that while your disappointment feels bad, this kind of thing happens to everyone in life. You are not being singled out or punished. Remind yourself that disappointments won’t last forever. The sun will shine again, tomorrow will come, and soon you will feel better again.

Dissolve Doubt
When experiencing disappointment, it can be easy to slip into doubt. You may automatically find yourself engaged in limited thinking, and feel yourself wanting to give up. Become aware of what beliefs rise to the surface as you face your disappointments. Here are a few examples of what doubt sounds like:
• I can never have what I want.
• It was stupid of me to even try.
• There wasn’t really much chance of success in the first place.
• My best is never good enough.
• Poor me, why does something like this always happen to me.
• I’m being punished.
The benefit of facing disappointment in a new way is that you allow yourself to become consciously aware of what you believe deep down inside of you about your life, yourself, and your abilities to succeed. Once you can recognize your limiting beliefs, you can take steps to begin releasing those beliefs and building new self-empowering beliefs.

How Do We Keep Going
Your life and your dreams are a gift from God. Even before you were born, He knew you and had a purpose for your life. Your talents, your strengths, your abilities, your interests, and even your weaknesses are all part of a divine plan for your life. The bumps are even in the divine plan. You must be willing to accept that there is more to life than you and your dream. There is a bigger picture and you are one of the stars. Learn to laugh more and keep dreaming and walking that beautiful walk of life. Your dream may be just around the corner!
Ladies and Gentlemen thank you for reading this article. You can learn more and listen also to the Great Big Life radio show every Thursday, 11:30AM right here live on wimoradio.com and AM 1300.

I am a Christian Life Coach, helping men and women find peace, joy and fulfillment in all their relationships of love, children, work and ministry.
My email is Coachdebbie@yourlifeaccelerated.com. Be sure to sign up for free giveaways,newsletters and free e-books.