My top three tips for dealing with life challenges.

When the idea of The Healing Forum first struck me, my entire being buzzed with excitement. It was confirmation that this wasn’t just “any idea” but one that I had to follow through with. At that moment, my soul was the driver of my life and my ego had stepped aside, taking with it any fears or doubts around my capacity to do it.  I knew I had to take action.  

The journey thus far hasn’t all been peace, love and mung-beans. I’ve had the opportunity to come face to face my fears of failure and rejection, and confusingly, fears around success. At times, my need to get it “perfect” has crippled me from enjoying the moment of progress. And then there is that internal chatter of criticism, doubting The Healing Forum and afterall, who was I to think that I could actually create such community!

Over the past few years, I have come to learn that the journey is more important than the destination. So when I have fallen into self-doubt or felt overwhelmed with the task at hand, I have stopped and meditated seeking reassurance from the Universe.

In these moments of surrender, I’ve remembered that what my soul is most interested in is how I deal with these uncomfortable moments. How do I push off from these experiences to learn and grow? 

So what can we do when we find ourselves in a tricky life classroom? When our limbic brain, the unconscious emotional part of us, kicks into overdrive causing a fight or flight response. How can we make the most of the situation and grow from it? 

Here are my top three tips for dealing with these uncomfortable moments:

i)   Watch your thoughts – make your mind your friend!

We are what we think. It shapes the lens that we look through and influences our reality more than we give credit for. In tricky times there may be a constant stream of negativity playing in the background of our mind; a hum of despair, a sigh of criticism and a moan of self doubt. Recognising these thoughts can be helpful; changing them so that are more positive and helpful is life transforming. 


ii)  Self care

Einstein said “We can not solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them”. Sometimes the best thing that we can do in a situation is to walk away and take a deep breath. Get some fresh air or move the body. I’m all for getting those endorphins pumping - give yourself permission to have fun! Do what it takes to have those deep belly laughing moments or get cuddles from your loved ones. The oxytocin will help soothe the fear of the moment and you will be surprised at how doors open to new ideas or ah-ha moments. 

When we allow ourselves to be overwhelmed in a situation, the basics of eating well, exercising and getting enough sleep seem like an optional extra. How many of us allow our good habits to slip away because we are “too busy” and feel like we don’t have enough time for these essential needs? When we fail to nurture our beings, we can get stuck in a problem. As exhaustion overwhelms us, it’s difficult to see even the most obvious of solutions.  

iii)  Meditate

No matter how big the problem seems, meditation can help you gain a fresh perspective on it. It’s simple, affordable and can be done any time you have a few free moments. Like most things it takes practice to gain the most benefits from meditation and in my experience, certainly worth the effort. 


Perhaps there is something in your life, a challenge, that is pushing you beyond your comfort zone? If so, perhaps meditation, watching your thoughts or paying more attention to self care can help you in this process...


Dr. Fiona Enkelmann MBBS FRACGP MPH