How to Cope Effectively

Ever stop and wonder why some people are always happy or seem like they have their life together? Well, the reality is that some people are just better at coping with life’s struggles than others. My hope is to provide you with some insight that could help you become one of those “happy people” that seem to have their lives under control.

We all experience stress in one way or another. Whether it’s trying to balance multiple responsibilities in your life or working overtime at a job that you just can’t stand or maybe it’s a toxic relationship that you just want to end. The truth is that we’ve all been there! However, we all cope with stress very differently because the reality is that we’re all unique and have a different life experiences. Whether you’ve consciously made the decision and effort to cope in one way or another, my intention is to help you become more mindful and intentional with choosing coping strategies so that you could cope more effectively with life’s struggles.

There are many different styles of coping and there’s even some coping styles that seem to overlap and blend. However, the three different types of coping styles that I am going to be discussing are Avoidant Coping, Emotion-focused Coping, and Problem-focused Coping. Avoidant-coping can be identified as any type of coping mechanism that is used to deal with the emotional distress caused by a problem without actually dealing with the specific problem itself. For example, engaging in distracting behaviors (could be healthy like running or unhealthy like binge drinking), withdrawing from reality by isolating from others, and even denying that there’s an issue that needs to be dealt with. Emotion-focused Coping specifically helps relieve emotional distress by managing negative emotions. Some examples include, mindfulness meditation, exercise, and journaling. Problem-focused Coping is definitely the most effective because it focuses on overcoming the specific problem that caused the emotional distress in the first place. Some great problem-focused coping tools are working through a CBT workbook, developing an action plan, and/or possibly seeking professional help.

Coping effectively helps us find balance in our lives by giving us the ability to work through and overcome various stressors. Sure, it’s a lot easier to completely walk away from a problem by avoiding it, but that’s only a temporary fix. Sometimes a temporary fix is okay and it’s exactly what we need until we’re ready to deal with the issue. However, the important takeaway from this is that we handle the problem when we’re ready. The reality is that the problem will still be there and not only that, the problem could potentially get worse if it’s not handled appropriately. Issues are very unique and some issues need different kinds of attention. What’s important is that you make the right choice in order to effectively handle the problem. If it’s emotional support that you need and you choose to use a coping strategy like mindfulness meditation or working out, then by all means. More often than not, we deal with complex things in our lives so we need to approach issues more strategically by developing an action plan or seeking additional assistance from a professional. What matters is that you take a moment to think about the strategy that is going to work best for you in order to help you cope more effectively with the stressors in your life.

As always, if you’d like more information please feel free to reach out! If you have some mechanisms or a system that helps you manage the stress in your life, I’d love to hear about it!

Stay healthy!

Via

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