There are times in our life when an event blindsides us, and we feel paralyzed. We feel as if all hope is lost. A pervasive sense of hopelessness permeates our thoughts, and it feels like our world is caving in. How you respond to these feelings determines how quickly you can overcome them.

Often when we are in the thick of a situation, it is hard to find the way out. We have all witnessed when a person is consumed by a situation, and they have no perspective. Their judgment is clouded, and they feel they have no choices. When your thoughts tell you there is no hope it causes you to flounder in all areas of your life. However, there is always hope.

The key to finding hope is first finding perspective. Research shows that fog permeating the equivalent of seven city blocks with the height of one hundred feet can be condensed into one cup of water. This is an excellent analogy to help you realize that the struggle you feel today may not be as all-powerful as what you think. Using this analogy, if you were to walk to the perimeter of the fog, you would see your way out. This is exactly what we need to do to find our perspective.

How do you find perspective when it feels like hope is lost? It is vital that you surround yourself with individuals who can help you find perspective, give you insight, and offer suggestions through this tough time. However, it’s your responsibility to let them know what you need. If you need a shoulder to cry on, a sounding board, someone to facilitate options, then you let them know. Your friends and family want to see you succeed.

In a previous article, I discussed using your past to help your present. Meaning, you’ve felt helpless, hopeless, depressed, lonely, and so forth before. How did you overcome those feelings? Your current situation today may be more intense than before, but you’ve previously experienced these emotions, and you did something to overcome them. This is great data for you to use. Yes, your external circumstances may be different, but the emotions you are experiencing are not new. Reflect on how you overcame these emotions in the past. If you did it before, you could do it again.

Focusing on what you cannot change versus focusing on what you can change is another significant factor. A sense of helplessness is paralyzing. It causes you to feel crippled, and all you can think is there is no way out – no hope. When you switch your perspective to focus on what you can change, that starts to empower you to find a viable strategy to beat your current situation eventually. For example, you can focus on your self-care, eating, sleeping, exercise, thoughts, and emotions. Being mindful of these factors gives you an internal strength you may not have realized you had before.

Remember, when you feel all hope is lost, you have lost perspective. Removing yourself from that fog, so to speak, assures you that your current situation may not be as great as what you initially thought. You have previous data to help you overcome the emotional turmoil as well as friends and family who want to help you succeed. There is always hope.

www.JamesMillerLIFEOLOGY.com.