Life is sweet, but at the same time, we encounter many problems as we live. Life presents us with different problems every day no matter how perfect we think our life is. Problems are always there to deal with till we die.
When you’re facing life problems, it’s easy to feel like you’re the only one going through so much difficulty. Those problems result in so much concern, sorrow, and pain.
Life problems, depending on their magnitude, can be clogs in the wheel of progress, and we may not be able to attain our full potential if we don’t learn to deal with our problems the right way.
Acknowledging your problems, facing them, solving them, and getting on with your life is better than dwelling in gloom and not doing anything to get out of them.
Once you have a clear perspective of what problems you have in your life, then you will know the right steps to take to deal with them.
Let’s look at 10 common problems in life, and how to handle them.
1. FINANCIAL PROBLEMS
We live in an unpredictable world and financial problems may come at different stages of life. Even if you have prepared for it, it may still catch you unaware or the extent may be far more than any preparation you have made over the years.
It could be that you lost your job or a major investment, got slammed with a lawsuit that threatens your savings, or you have your livelihood affected by a major disaster. So what do you do when you are in a financial mess?
WAY OUT OF FINANCIAL PROBLEMS
To overcome a financial problem, you will have to come to terms with the problem. Acknowledge and accept the situation and begin recovery by setting your financial priorities right.
If your financial problem is because of a job loss, then your effort should be directed at getting a new job. If it is having multiple debts, look for ways to reduce your debt so that your monthly debt repayment can be centralized into one instead of being disturbed by multiple payments.
You can also sell some of your assets to raise money to save the situation or look for a better job if you are earning less at your current job. Don’t hesitate to ask for help from family and friends if you need to.
2. HEALTH PROBLEMS
There comes a time in your life when you are not healthy. It might be something minor or intense.
This is not far-fetched because our body systems work round-the-clock, even when we are sleeping. As a result of this, and if you don’t maintain routine health habits, health deterioration might begin to set in. Things might even get serious if you don’t attend to it early. Is your health a challenge to you?
WAY OUT OF HEALTH PROBLEMS
Just like other human problems in daily life, the first thing to do is to consider lifestyle changes. This includes cutting down on junk, eating healthy diets, exercising, breathing fresh air, taking some sun, etc.
Apart from lifestyle changes, you have to seek quality medical help if your health is beyond what you can handle. See a doctor. Don’t just go to a pharmacy and buy drugs. Seeing a doctor will definitely require a lengthy process, but it is for your own benefit which will help your health get better.
3. RELATIONSHIP PROBLEMS
There may not be anything as sweet as love, but it can also be a source of pain to some people. Human imperfections in a relationship can cause major life crises. This has been a stumbling block to many on their path to fulfilment.
So many people have given up on love because of their past experiences. Some are not enjoying their relationship because of too much misunderstanding, infidelity, trust issues, and others. What have you done to make your relationship work if you’re having issues in your relationship?
WAY OUT OF RELATIONSHIP PROBLEMS
Misunderstanding and other related issues will always happen in a relationship as far as those involved are two different people. If you’re having issues in your relationship, you need to face reality and begin to take steps toward addressing them. Simply do your best to keep the lines of communication open as this can help in strengthening your struggling relationship. Talk about the challenges with your partner and look for common grounds.
You can also arrange to see a counsellor together or read books that address the specific challenges you are facing.
The worst thing you can do is to end a relationship and that’s only when you have exhausted all options to make it work. If you’ve tried your best to make your relationship work and it’s not working, it’s time to let go.
4. WORKPLACE ISSUES
The workplace is supposed to be a place where we dutifully render the services for which we’ve been hired. However, it is not impossible to face resentment at work—dealing with toxic people who would rather not see any good in what you do. It might be caused by differences in tribe, personalities, attitudes, and unhealthy competition that can result in personal conflicts. This can create undue stress and reduce productivity at work.
Mind you, this is the best time to know if you can manage teamwork and professional relationships or not.
You can get surprised and frustrated at the start because of these issues but the best thing to do is to face those issues and resolve them right away instead of leaving the workplace.
Are your colleagues giving you a tough time at work?
WAY OUT OF WORKPLACE ISSUES
Being as professional as possible when dealing with toxic people is not easy, I must say. But you must learn to ignore some things and pretend you don’t see them. Be yourself, be very confident, be immaculate while performing your duties, be kind even when they are envious of you, and try to avoid confrontation.
You can even try to reach out to the persons and invite them over for a coffee or lunch just to talk, and get to understand them more. This can help you to connect with them at their level so that you can avoid unnecessary stress for yourself.
5. CAREER PRESSURE
In your quest to become more successful in your career, you will likely face some work-related pressure. Such can come when trying to stabilize your career or when trying to attain a certain level in your career. It can also come as a result of overworking and having little result to show.
Sometimes, it may be that the promotion you are working hard to get is not coming or positions you are qualified for are being offered to others. The pressure can get more intense when you find that most of your colleagues are moving ahead of you. This is painful, I must say. Are you in this situation?
WAY OUT OF CAREER PRESSURE
It is very common in many organizations for some people to be deprived of a promotion/level they are due for because those in charge believe they decide what happens and they are in control. If you’ve been doing well, and higher forces are at play by denying you your right, don’t let that weigh you down. Keep doing your best, one day, all your efforts will be rewarded.
Note: This doesn’t mean if you find a better offer, you shouldn’t go for it.
Also, you need to check your personal life. Find out if you have personal or attitudinal problems. Some attitudinal problems can put you at a disadvantaged end. It may be poor communication, poor personal grooming, or poor relationship and networking skills. If it is any of these problems, then work on improving yourself in those areas.
You can also observe your colleagues who are succeeding and take note of what they are doing differently.
6. UNFAIR TREATMENT
We are in a world where some people often think they have some privileges over others and may want to exercise this thinking and treat others unfairly. If you find yourself in an environment where you are being oppressed or treated badly because of your race, gender, or current status, this can make you feel really bad and can also affect your psyche and productivity.
Are you being unfairly treated?
WAY OUT OF UNFAIR TREATMENT
There is always a temptation to criticize your treatment, defend yourself, and demand a change immediately, but you should wait for the right opportunity to do that.
When the time is right, reach out directly to the person or authority involved, and make it private. Meanwhile, you should be factual about the instances of your unfair treatment. Don’t just say that you are being treated badly; give several undeniable instances.
Once you’ve made your grievances known politely, keep being you. If things don’t change, you can protect yourself in that environment. If you have an option to leave, you can do so as well.
7. EMPTINESS AND BOREDOM
Now and then, we experience dullness in our lives due to some things that are happening to us. This makes us feel unproductive, especially when it looks like there is nothing we can do to change things. This can lead to feelings of emptiness and boredom. Most people don’t see this as a serious life problem, but it can have a great impact on them if not handled properly. Are you feeling bored and empty?
WAY OUT OF EMPTINESS AND BOREDOM
To overcome emptiness and boredom, break out of your routines, and deliberately create a new experience for yourself. Start doing things that reflect your true passion. Read books that interest you. See movies. Visit natural settings. You can also see a therapist before it leads to depression.
8. FRIENDSHIP PROBLEMS
We need friends in our life to get together, share sorrows and happiness, and just get along with life. Friends are the brightest part of life but sometimes this relationship ends up giving you a lot of trouble. There is backstabbing, jealousy, betrayal, and a lot of similar things that ruin a friendship and thus, it affects the whole life. Some friends have even used the information freely provided in times of friendship to betray trust. Have you been betrayed by those you call your closest friends?
WAY OUT OF FRIENDSHIP PROBLEMS
Don’t open up on everything to friends. Keep some information only to yourself. If you notice that a friend is working against you, confront them with the truth. Limit your interaction with them or get rid of such toxic friends completely.
9. CONSTANT FAILURE
When you are striving to move forward, achieve your goals, moving on with your career, you are bound to face failures but it doesn’t mean that you can’t move forward. It can bring disappointment and it can also slow the pace of progress, but failures are meant to teach you a lot of things and make you a better person for the future.
Failures are part of life. We have to learn to deal with it. But what do you do when an experience of failure weighs you down?
WAY OUT OF CONSTANT FAILURE
Find out why you keep failing at what you do. You can’t be doing the same thing and you expect a different result. If the method you’re using is not giving you what you want, change it.
10. HAUNTING PAST
We all have pasts, and we might have done some crazy stuff in the past before we began to live a more civilized and decent life. But sometimes, the past comes back haunting. It’s even worse when life problems of the past haunt you back and become problems of the present.
It may be that what you have done is now striking your conscience, keeping you awake at night, or someone who knows about it is trying to use it against you, and it is standing in the way of your progress.
Is your past haunting you?
WAY OUT OF HAUNTING PAST
Be true to yourself and forgive yourself. If it is an issue with another person, you can reach out to the person to settle with him or her.
If it is a secret that is now being leaked out, own up to it, take responsibility, handle it with wisdom, and move on.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Problems are what make life worth living. They help us adapt to become tougher as we adapt to different situations. Always remember that whatever life problems you are facing have solutions or, at least, a manageable approach.
Therefore, never allow real-life problems to stop you from fulfilling your true potential in life.
Written by Blessing Omoare.
Temperament and Emotional Intelligence Coach
