In this article, I discus three steps which you can use to handle adversity effectively.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes.

I will begin this article with a baseball metaphor: Being successful in life often involves being able to hit curve balls which come in the form of adversity. We need to be able to hit these curve balls when we encounter setbacks and obstacles which we encounter in all areas of life. These areas include work/ school, relationships, finances, health as well when we give performances in sports and other domains.

In the following sections, I will discuss three steps which you can use to handle adversity effectively: Prepare for it, deal with it and rebound from it.

Step 1: Prepare for adversity

The first step in handling adversity effectively is preparing for it. One way to do this is to use the PR plan. Use of this tool involves first predicting specific challenges you may have to face if the adversity were to occur, preparing strategies you can use to cope with those challenges and practising using those strategies ahead of time so you will be ready to employ them when you need them.

For example, circumstances may make it wise for you to prepare for the adversity of losing your job.  You could use the PR plan to handle this adversity effectively by predicting challenges you would face were you to lose your job, preparing strategies you can use to cope with those challenges and practising using those strategies ahead of time so you will be ready to employ them were you to lose your job.

Step 2: Deal with adversity

The second step in handling adversity effectively is dealing with it. This step should be much easier to execute if you’ve taken the previous step of preparing for adversity by using the PR plan.

An efficient way to deal with adversity is first to identify which predicted challenges related to the adversity have occurred by consulting your PR plan. Then you can implement the strategies you listed in the ‘prepare’ section of the PR plan to cope with those challenges.

Using the example I discussed earlier: Were you to lose your job, dealing with this adversity would first entail identifying which challenges related to losing your job have come to pass by consulting your PR plan. Then you would implement the strategies listed in the ‘prepare’ section of the PR plan to cope with those challenges.

Drawing of a man throwing a life preserver to a drowning man.

Step 3: Rebound from adversity

The third and final step in handling adversity effectively is rebounding from it. This entails getting back on track in the wake of the adversity you experienced. This step should be much easier to execute if you’ve taken the previous steps of preparing for adversity and dealing with it by using the PR plan.

Rebounding from adversity is facilitated by focusing on two kinds of strategies—cognitive and behavioural. Cognitive strategies involve using thinking patterns which facilitate your ability to get back on track in the aftermath of the adversity. Behavioural strategies involve taking actions to help you get back on track.

One cognitive strategy entails identifying negative ‘hot thoughts’ you may have as a result of the adversity, evaluating these thoughts based on the evidence and changing these thoughts to more accurate and helpful balanced thoughts. For example, you may have negative thoughts about yourself in the wake of losing your job like, “I’m a loser” and “I’ll never succeed at anything again” which can be evaluated and changed to more accurate and more helpful thoughts like “Although I lost my job, I have had many successes and have lots of good qualities which can help me succeed in the future”.

Another cognitive strategy which helps in rebounding from adversity is to identify ways you have grown from experiencing the adversity. For example, dealing with the adversity of a job loss may have revealed strengths such as perseverance, patience and the ability to perform effectively in a stressful situation which you would not have been aware of had you not experienced the adversity. You can use these strengths going forward.

Behavioural strategies which help you to rebound from adversity involve taking actions to help you get back on track. This involves taking action to address problems and issues in areas of your life such as work or school, relationships, finances and health. It also entails getting back into routines to enhance your well-being which may have been disrupted by the adversity. These include exercising and other forms of self-care, spending time in enjoyable social interactions as well as participating in pleasurable individual activities.

If you follow the steps in this article, you should be able to handle adversity effectively.

May you prepare for, deal with and rebound from adversity,

-Dr. Pat