How are you at bouncing back? Is it easier than it used to be? Harder? Seems like everyone and everything is bouncing back from something; unemployment, poor business, faith in America, the economy, the market, the banks, or real estate.

Many marriages and relationships have fallen apart, people have gotten depressed or sick. It seems like a lot and I for one have set an intention to be optimistic in 2011.

So I ask you this question: Is there really more now to bounce back from or is that just where our focus has been recently?

Over the years, we’ve seen the people on the Gulf rebuild over and over again. We’re known those who have lost their children, their marriages, their businesses, their money and most of them survived. Many have survived and even thrived after serious illnesses (and some have not). I’m certainly not saying it’s totally a mind-over-matter proposition; however when life seems hard, it certainly helps to focus on something other than loss or hardship. You could for example:

• Be grateful for what and who you do have
• Remind yourself of past times when you’ve bounced back
• Acknowledge yourself for being better equipped with wisdom and experience to do it again now faster and easier
• Ask for help and support from others
• Pray, journal and read inspirational books and blogs
• Stay busy so as not to get depressed and if you do; get help
• Remember that it takes courage and determination to bounce back
• Courage is just the flip side of fear…FEAR (false evidence appearing real)
• Yes, it really looks real, but this too shall pass
• Stay in touch with your faith
• And this will make you stronger…

One thing I’ve learned is that the opportunities to grow stronger and more courageous just keep coming; and if we weren’t up for the challenge, we wouldn’t be here. You can do it, if you believe you can!

“If you view all the things that happen to you, both good and bad, as opportunities, then you operate out of a higher level of consciousness.” – Les Brown

Author's Bio: 

Judy Irving is a leadership and executive coach located in Las Vegas, NV. She holds the highest credential afforded to date by the International Coach Federation. Judy has taken the challenges and opportunities that life has given her and built upon them to assist her clients and her readers in moving forward in their lives with peace and purpose. Judy is especially gifted at asking the questions that not only causes you to stop, challenge your assumptions and reflect on your beliefs, filters and actions. What works, what doesn't and why are you doing what you're doing. She likes to say that we don't know what we don't know. Then when you do know, you can move forward with integrity, vision, and intention. http://www.movingon.net