Overcoming challenges is something I’m honestly still terrible at most days. Right now it’s like 1:40 something in the morning (my clock is wrong again), there’s an empty Monster can sweating on my desk, my dog just farted so bad I had to open the window even though it’s freezing, and I’m trying to write something useful about facing obstacles. Yeah. Peak adulting.
I’ve eaten dirt enough times the past couple years that maybe I scraped together a few things that kinda-sorta work when everything feels like it’s on fire. Nothing polished. Nothing instagram-ready. Just the shit that stopped me from completely giving up.
1. First Just Let It Fucking Suck (Don’t Skip This Part)
Everyone wants to be the “growth mindset” person immediately. Not me. I need like minimum 48–72 hours of pure misery before my brain will cooperate.
Couple months back my car died (timing belt snapped on the highway, very cinematic) and I had zero savings buffer. Instead of instantly googling “how to manifest money” I just… sat in my dark living room eating cereal out the box and feeling sorry for myself. For real days. Only after I let myself be a complete disaster did some actual ideas start showing up.
There’s research saying forcing positivity too early screws your problem-solving → this APA article kinda touches on it.
So yeah. Step one of overcoming challenges for me: admit it hurts like hell. Cry, rage, eat trash food. Then maybe you can think.
Then the aftermath — dark living room, cereal straight from the box, no energy left to pretend it’s fine.
2. Do the Dumbest Smallest Thing Possible (Like Embarrassingly Small)
Big goals paralyze me. So I make the next action so tiny it’s almost offensive.
After the car thing, instead of “fix finances / get new job / become responsible adult”, Overcoming Challenges I literally just googled “junkyards near me”. That’s it. Didn’t even call. Just searched. But it cracked the freeze open.
I’ve used this for everything: • heartbreak → delete one single text thread (not all of them, too scary) • weight gain → put the running shoes next to the bed (didn’t even wear them) • taxes → open the IRS website and immediately close it
James Clear tiny-habits guy would be proud I think → atomic habits tiny changes thing
3. Stalk People Who Already Survived the Exact Same Bullshit
I used to hate asking for help. Thought it made me look pathetic. Overcoming Challenges Now I realize going through hell alone is just paying extra for suffering.
Found a random X thread last year where someone described the exact same “can’t breathe but also can’t stop breathing” panic attack I was having every night. Reading that 47 other people went through it and didn’t die… it didn’t cure me, but it made the terror feel less like a personal curse.
So now I hunt. Reddit threads from 8 years ago, old blog posts, people’s drunk 3am tweets. Real survivor stories beat any TED talk.
4. Make a “Fuck This For Now” List
This one feels morally wrong and I love it.
When I’m drowning I list everything I’m “supposed” to be doing… then cross half off with a big Sharpie and call it dead for the season.
Current Fuck This list on my phone notes (yes I’m reading it right now):
- wake up at 5am
- read 50 books this year
- have a capsule wardrobe
- be the chill low-maintenance friend
- finally learn guitar (sorry again, guitar)
Dropping stuff on purpose gives your brain space to actually deal with the real obstacle. Revolutionary I know.
5. Celebrate the Pathetic Wins (Yes Even the Cringe Ones)
Most of my “victories” are not motivational-poster material. They’re me finally doing dishes after 11 days. Or answering one email without crying. Or taking a shower before 8pm.
But I started saying “nice job idiot” out loud anyway. Feels stupid. Works anyway.
Self-compassion stuff literally rewired how mean I am to myself → Kristin Neff’s site changed my life a little, no joke.
