WHEN THE CHIPS ARE DOWN...

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"When the chips are down, you are given the chance to find the strength you never knew you had and put it toward the greater good. Or go over to the dark side. You know, if that's how you roll." - Jessica Lave

Life, they say is not a bed of roses. Everyone is bound to face challenging situations at some point in time. Such challenges come irrespective of our class, pedigree, or status in the society, and most times, they leave us frustrated and depressed. Meeting oneself in a difficult situation is however not as important as the reaction to such situations. A person's response to unfavourable circumstances is what could ultimately make or mar him. How then does one navigate through the challenges that life consistently throws around? What do you have to do when difficult situations seems to be overwhelming you? And what is the next step to take when the chips are down? The answer to these questions have I provided in the following five (5) points.

1. Acknowledge the reality of the situation

    The first thing you need to do is to acknowledge the fact that you are indeed in a challenging situation. This is not to make you give up, or see yourself as a failure, rather, it will help you to be truthful to yourself and see the need to do all you can to put yourself back on the right track.

It must also be at the back of your mind that everyone experiences difficulties at some point in time. So you should not give in to depression and begin to ask: "Why me?" The truth is that no matter what you are passing through, some other persons have passed through similar or worse situations, and they were able to come out of it stronger and better. Your case too, should not be an exception.

2. The cause of the situation and the lessons learnt

    Twyla Tharp stated: "Ultimately there is no such thing as failure. There are lessons learned in different ways." Once you have accepted the reality of the situation you found yourself, the next thing is for you to sit down and reflect on all that happened. Ask yourself: "What brought me to this point? What mistakes did I make? What lessons can I learn from this journey so far?" You need to ask yourself these questions and provide sincere answers to them, as such answers would help you bring out the cause(s) of your present situation, and the lesson(s) you can learn from it, which would help you as you continue your journey through life.

3. Prepare your mind for another attempt and stay positive

    What you should do next is to prepare your mind for another attempt. You cannot do anything about the past, but you can do a lot about the present and future. So dust off the past with its negative memories, and enthusiastically look at the brighter side that the present and future presents.

4. Get some encouragements

    We all need encouragement from time to time - that is our nature as humans. Encouragements motivate us and make us go all out to achieve our goals. You also, need to talk about your situation with persons who can encourage and guide you till you are back on track.

You must note however that it is not everybody that you can talk to. Some would only dampen your spirit and leave you more confused through their words.  So discuss only with like-minded people, and persons who have successfully passed through similar situations, and have grown wiser, stronger, and better for it. Such persons can provide you with useful advice and helpful tips to encourage and guide you all the way.

5. Take action

    Taking action is the most important of all the things you can do when the chips are down. No matter how difficult the circumstances you found yourself might be, the right actions you take is what can bring you out of such difficulties. Do not therefore stay passive till the waters of anxiety, frustration, and depression get you drowned. Tony Robbins said: "The path to success is to take massive, determined action." So step out! Take action! Go for it! And you will surely achieve your desired success.

In conclusion, let me state that while finding a way out of a challenging or difficult situation is good, the more important thing is what you can take away from such a situation. So when the chips are down, you should come out wiser, stronger, and better.

I'd leave you with the following quotes, which I believe can shed more light on my last statement:

"The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places." - Ernest Hemingway

"Through all the heartaches and the tears, through gloomy days and fruitless years; I do give thanks for now I know, these were the things that helped me grow." - David Lockett

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.'" - Eleanor Roosevelt