from setback to success

Turning towards support for a stronger you

At some point, we’ve all experienced a setback or a missed opportunity. We know that doesn’tmake experiencing them any less discouraging or frustrating. When you make mistakes, it’s easy to get down on yourself and feel like giving up. But, how you bounce back from those tough moments can truly shape their impact and how you handle future challenges.

Here are a few ways you can start to turn your setbacks into success.

• Reframe your mindset, silence your inner critic, and practice self-compassion. What you say to yourself may be the most important factor in helping you be happier and more fulfilled in your life. Often, we think that being critical of ourselves pushes us to success, when it actually just creates more stress and anxiety. Practice using a positive inner voice to remind yourself that you are capable and resilient. Focusing on your strengths and looking at experiences that invalidate your negative thoughts can help you see yourself in a more positive light. A helpful way to approach a setback with more self compassion is to ask yourself, “What can I take away from this? How can I grow and improve from here?” While it may be challenging to reframe an experience in the moment, give yourself time at the end of the day to give it a try.
• Create a new plan. Use what you’ve learned from the past to create a new plan that works for your current circumstances. For example, if you find it challenging to get out of bed, let alone attend a workout, after a night out with friends, make a new plan for your next night out. Give the permission to sleep instead of creating an unrealistic plan or goal. Your chance of accomplishing your plans increases when you consider what’s possible for you to accomplish in the time and energy you have available to you.
• Focus on your “why”. Take a moment to reflect on the importance of achieving this goal for yourself. What is the underlying reason behind why you set it? What makes it worth the effort and for it to be prioritized above other things? By focusing on the bigger picture, you can gain a clearer perspective and be more motivated to work towards your goal. Remembering your “why” will help you build the resilience needed to overcome current challenges and even ones that may show up in the future.
• Acknowledge your feelings. You may feel disappointed or upset if something doesn’t go as planned or because you’ve made a mistake. But that’s completely normal – so instead of trying to ignore or suppress these emotions, we challenge you to honor your feelings and acknowledge that they are valid. Once you are able to recognize and accept these emotions, you can then work towards finding healthy ways to cope with them.

With a little reflection, self-compassion, and support, you can bounce back confidently and with more resilience. Doing so can help you overcome even the toughest obstacles and end up stronger on the other side.

What’s a setback you’ve experienced before and how did you overcome it?

therapy services we offer in manhattan

We understand that navigating, work, friendships, family, dating, and life as a young professional in Manhattan can come with many emotions and feelings behind it. This is why our Manhattan therapists offer a range of counseling services. The mental health services we offer are Depression Therapy, Anxiety Therapy, Individual Therapy, and Therapy for Self-Esteem. As well as Therapy for Women, Therapy for College Students, Maternal Mental Health Care, and more.

Are you feeling like you’re not living the life you want and need to make changes? Let’s talk about it.

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