Tough times come for us all; we don’t tend to think about them when we’re just going about life, but they could be just around the corner, and somehow, they always take us by surprise. Which is why you need to stay in the know when tough times hit. You need to know how to collect yourself together, and where to go next. 

And if you’re someone who’s currently living in those tough times, as quite a few of us are, it’s important to have the right advice on your side. We’ve taken some time to collect some potentially helpful tips together below, to ensure you know what you’re doing right now, and so you can keep your head when the going gets really rough.

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Don’t Beat Yourself Up

Make sure you’re never beating yourself up about hard times – there’s not much we can do in retrospect, and hindsight is always 20/20. After all, we can sit and wonder where we went wrong for hours on end, or we can set our sights on the future, and think about what to do next to ensure we get out of the tough times. Make sure you and your mindset falls on the latter side of things, for both your health and happiness! 

You need to ensure you’re beating those negative thoughts out of your mind; make sure you can dispute them, and failing that, you have something to distract you from them. Make sure you’re talking to people who can help you, but more on that later. 

Look at Your Financial Options

One of the main things to do right now is to look into your financial options. If you’ve been made unemployed, or your benefits or assistance from the government have been stopped, you’re going to need to look into getting your income reinstated. Of course, you can always ask friends and family for a bit of help here, but there’s a lot more you can do to get your income back full time too. Be sure to keep an eye on the plan for government assistance as well. 

Let’s consider the workplace in more detail. If you’ve been put on sick leave, make sure you’re getting the pay you’re entitled to for it, even if you work for a small business with only a handful of employees. If you’ve been let go, you might be entitled to a one time check, or you might be entitled to compensation from the company you worked for in the form of a package – you might even be able to take your employer to tribunal, in certain cases where unfair dismissal was apparent. Be sure to look into this; you don’t deserve to be left bereft! 

Know Who to Talk to

You’re going to need to find the right person or people to talk to as well. You should never face tough times alone, especially when you’re surrounded by friends and family, and you have the opportunity to reach out to them. Even just texting and calling when you’ve got a few seconds to focus on your phone could do you the world of good. Always get in touch with the person who feels the most comfortable to you first of all, like a partner or a parent, and then make sure you talk to those who can offer some advice. People like your siblings, or your close friends, who’ll have plenty of ideas of their own to help you out. 

Make sure you get in touch with a law professional as well. After all, some situations in life are that serious, and charges could be brought against you or someone you love, and it’s important to have someone on your side who can get you the best case scenario. There’s no shame in looking up things to ask before hiring a criminal lawyer if you need to, and it’s much better to do so, compared to walking into an important consultation completely blind. 

Tough Times Don’t Last Forever

Staying in the know, when tough and rough times hit, is key to ensuring you come out of the other side for better or worse. Make sure you’re putting yourself in positions where help is available to you, and you can reach out to those who love you and those who can help you in equal measure. 

Tough times don’t stick around forever, and you’re an adaptable person. You can get through this, and people are on your side.