Healthy Coping Skills for Dealing with Challenging Times

Lately, it seems like we’re all carrying a bit more than usual – and it can feel heavy. If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably found yourself feeling overwhelmed, and at times, it can feel helpless. Or, you may be navigating a life transition or change, grieving the loss of a loved one, managing relationship stress, or simply trying to make it through another exhausting day.

No matter what you’re going through, during challenging times we can all use some tips on how to cope in healthy ways. In this article, you’ll learn how you can begin to build emotional resilience – one small, intentional step at a time.

Strategies to Cope: Building Emotional Resilience

Psychologists define resilience as the process of adapting well in the face of difficult experiences and adversity – and possibly even growing from it. Resilience isn’t about avoiding difficulty – it’s about finding better ways to move through it.

Use the strategies below to build resilience and learn how to cope with challenging times.

1. Make Space for Your Emotions

One of the most common myths about mental health is the idea that difficult emotions like anxiety, depression, or grief, can be resolved by willpower alone. You’ve probably heard things before like “Snap out of it,” “You should be over this by now,” or “Just get over it.” Whether well- intentioned or not, these kinds of comments are not only hurtful and invalidating, they are harmful.

The truth is, pain isn’t something we move past by pretending it isn’t there. And coping isn’t about being cheerful or strong all the time – it’s about creating space for your emotions, honoring them without judgement, and giving yourself permission to feel what you feel.

How to Support Yourself:

• Let yourself feel your feelings without rushing to fix them – Learn How To Recognize, and Learn From Your Emotions
• Give yourself permission to grieve, not just the big losses, but also the small ones
• Talk to a trusted person about how you’re really doing, remembering that It’s Okay Not to Be Okay

2. Connect with Others

If there’s one thing I’ve learned – both in my work and in my personal life – it’s that connection matters more than we sometimes realize. It can be easy to forget, especially during challenging times, that we’re not meant to carry everything on our own. When life feels heavy, isolating, or out of our control, connection is one of the most powerful tools we have to cope and find meaning.

How to make a meaningful connection:

• Send a message to a friend just to check in – no advice needed, a simple “I’m thinking about you” goes a long way
• Be honest when someone asks how you’re doing – even if the answer is “Not great”; that kind of vulnerability takes courage, and opens the door to healing
• Reach out for help or support, even when it feels uncomfortable
• Join a support group, faith-based community, or attend an event that brings people together in purpose or reflection
• Engage with free or accessible resources that help you feel connected to others, like workshops, mindfulness classes, or volunteer for a cause that matters to you

Above all, remember this: hope loves company. Even if you don’t feel it yet, the act of reaching out – or letting others in – can be the first step toward building resilience.

3. Be Kind to Your Body, Even When It’s Hard

Self-care is a term we hear often, evoking images like cozy socks, warm baths, or curling up with a good movie (you’ll frequently catch me on the couch on a Sunday!) And don’t get me wrong – there’s real value in rest and relaxation. But the truth is, Self Care Doesn’t Always Feel Good.

It’s not always just about feeling good in the moment, it’s often about doing what’s hard because it aligns with your values and supports your well-being in the long run.

Sometimes self-care is about choosing the balanced meal to boost your mood instead of chips and salsa (yes, even if that’s all you’re craving after a long day). Sometimes it means going to bed early when all you want is to binge one more episode. And sometimes, it’s making that appointment you’ve been putting off, or saying “no” when everything in you wants to people-please.

How to Support Your Body:

• Practice healthy sleep habits as best you can – and seek help from a mental health professional When The Usual Sleep Tricks Don’t Work
• Ensure you have adequate protein in your diet to support your mental health
• Stay hydrated throughout the day
• Maintain regular healthy movement like stretching, walking, or yoga – use these tips to jump-start your motivation
• Use relaxation exercises and mindfulness such as the 5 Senses Technique
• Set boundaries that protect your energy and emotional space
• Take breaks from screen time or stressful news – and Beware of Doomscrolling!
• Follow through with routine medical or dental appointments, even if you’d rather not – and for extra support, read How to Reduce Anxiety During Medical Appointments

4. Find Moments of Meaning and Joy – Even Now

In challenging times, joy can feel completely out of reach. As a society, we’ve experienced a kind of collective grief and disorientation. We’ve had to let go of long-held beliefs about how life is “supposed” to go, and many of us have felt loss of routines, plans, and sense of safety in the face of so much change.

But part of healing – and building resilience – is learning to look for meaning in the small moments and asking ourselves: “What can I learn from this?” and “How can I grow?”

In my personal journey of finding strength through adversity, there hasn’t been a single, sweeping revelation – it’s been more like a slow unfolding. Little by little, I’m learning to be more authentic, to ask for help when I need it, and slow down and focus on the people and things that really matter. I’m certainly not at the destination – in fact, I believe it’s a lifelong pursuit. But I am getting better at recognizing that I’m a work in progress, and Embracing Imperfection along the way.

And joy? Joy might not always look like celebration. Sometimes it looks like gratitude, hope, lightness, or beauty. Sometimes it’s laughing in the middle of a hard day or sharing a quiet moment of connection with someone who “gets it.” Even if only for a few minutes, these moments are worth noticing – and nurturing.

Ways to Find Meaning and Joy:

• Reflect on what really matters to you, and find one small way to honor it
• Take a mindful walk and focus on what you see, hear, and feel
• Write down what you’re grateful for, even if it’s just a cozy blanket or hot cup of coffee
• Share love and kindness wherever you can: with a neighbor, your community, or someone who’s struggling
• Give yourself permission to feel joy – without guilt – even when things are hard

5. Talk Kindly to Yourself

Let’s be honest – most of us wouldn’t talk to a friend the way we sometimes talk to ourselves. For many of us, it can be surprisingly easy to slip into self-criticism, especially during hard times. The harsh inner voice can come from how we were spoken to growing up, or from the pressure we put on ourselves to meet unrealistically high standards.

We may think we’re pushing ourselves to “be better” or “do better” but research shows – again and again – that beating ourselves up doesn’t make us stronger. It only adds to the pain we’re already carrying.

Compassion is a familiar concept for many of us, and we know how to show it to others. But self-compassion is an often-overlooked skill. As Jack Kornfield said so well, “If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.”

Being human isn’t easy, and we’re worthy of kindness – especially when we’re struggling. When we acknowledge our pain and respond to it with kindness instead of judgment, we actually help ourselves move through the challenging times with more resilience.

Ways to Practice Self-Compassion:

• Notice when you’re being self-critical and ask, “Would I say this to someone I love?”
• Replace all-or-nothing thinking with a more accurate (and kinder) version of the story
• Gently remind yourself that thoughts are just thoughts, and they’re not always true
• Speak to yourself like you would a younger version of you – with warmth and encouragement

Support Is Here When You’re Ready

If you’re going through something difficult right now, please know that you don’t have to do it alone. At Therapy Changes, we understand how hard it can be to reach out. But we also know how powerful and transformative it can be to feel heard, supported, and guided by someone who truly cares.

Whether you’re feeling lost, stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure – our talented team of Psychologists are here to help.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment and get started on your journey of personal growth.

You deserve support. You deserve healing. You deserve to feel better.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash