What to Do When Life Sucks

Over the last month, COVID-19 has changed life for millions. People can’t go where they want or do what they want.

Sickness, layoffs, and stress are breeding fear on a worldwide scale. Relationships are walking a tightrope. Kids are missing weeks of school. The future that was bright and exciting a few months ago has turned dark and uncertain.

Right now, life sucks for a lot of people. More than likely, you’re one of them. The end result? Paralyzing fear.

Whether it nags at you quietly or is in your face front and center, the fear drags you down. Makes it hard to get out of bed and move forward.

Your wallet is hurting, your relationships are fracturing, your physical health has gone to shit. But trust me when I say that this is NOT the time to lay down and die. This is the time to stand up and put in the work that can change your life and change the world forever.

Why? Why should you be the one who keeps pushing forward when the whole world is standing around feeling helpless?

Because you’re still alive, your family still needs you, and you still have something left to give.

If you don’t want to crawl into a ball and wave the white flag of surrender, you’ve got to keep your nose down and keep working.

How to respond to a crisis situation

From the dawn of time, there have been crises. Plague, famine, disease, and world wars are always around the corner. And they suck. Bad.

But here’s the thing. Every one of those ended, and when they did, the world went on. Life returned to normal. People laughed again, loved again, lived again. The new normal may have looked different afterward, but that’s okay. Sometimes, different is good.

And these returns to normalcy don’t happen by accident. They happen because of purposeful people.

These are the people who are called crazy during the good times. Their drive and focus sets them apart and pushes them to succeed.

In the midst of hardship, these people don’t give up. They don’t believe the hype that the world is going to end. They don’t sell the farm, wander into the forest, and wait for death.

They fight, and they fight harder than they ever have. Because they’re fighting for their lives.

THAT’S how you respond to a crisis situation.

Facing crises in your life

When your marriage is falling apart, the bitch inside you wants to take the easy way out. But running away or ignoring the root problems won’t lead to a better new normal. It’ll lead to misery.

The only way to have a satisfying relationship is through work. So dig in your heels and be ready to work your ass off — even when it hurts. You’ll remember why you love your partner. You’ll admit you’re a major part of the problem. And you’ll do whatever it takes to make things better.

Then they’ll get better. Slowly, maybe. But that’s expected when you’re fighting against the current.

When the scale shows you’ve put on more pounds, burying your sadness in chocolate chip cookies won’t make things better. It’ll bury you in depression, which leads to more emotional eating.

Facing a health crisis? Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Get off the couch and pump out a set of push-ups, throw the candy and cookies in the trash, and drink a glass of water. Stop listening to that voice in your head that says you’re not worth working for.

Fight for your long-term health, not a sugar rush. Any pains you experience due to healthy living are nothing compared to the regret of treating your body like a dumpster.

When the economy tanks, you feel out of control and afraid. You got laid off or your company closed while the virus passes. Doing nothing is admitting defeat. So dust yourself off and get back to work.

If you’re an entrepreneur whose business has suffered, pivot your company to meet customer needs in a new way. Then come up with five more ways to pivot in the future, so you never feel the squeeze of a bad economy again.

If you’ve been furloughed or laid off, reach out to your network. After all, you’ve considered a new start for years. Let this BE your new start. Your employer may have promised to bring you back once this blows over, but there are no guarantees.

So mine your circles for new job opportunities, and surround yourself with positive people.

As you look for your next job, soak up all the education you can to become better at your craft. Start that company you’ve dreamed of. Build the life you want. Do it NOW!

While the rest of the world is cutting back and living in fear, be the crazy one. Grow your business. Strengthen your marriage. Improve your health.

Consistency in good times and bad

These are not one-and-done solutions. You can’t wake up today, make good choices, and then go back to your old ways tomorrow. You’ve got to put in the sets and reps in every category of life every day!

Do it even when it sucks.

Do it when it’s raining.

Do it when you’re tired.

Do it even if the results are slow to come.

Do it even when others say you’re out of your mind.

Do it even while in quarantine.

Do the work even when you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. Put in the sets and reps until it’s muscle memory. Until your natural response to disaster is harder work.

Don’t get it twisted! A decade of sets and reps matter! Without them, you might start a business, but you won’t build an empire. You might get the girl, but there won’t be true intimacy. You might be content with your health, but diabetes will always be a threat.

Because that’s the secret to making millions, getting washboard abs, deepening your relationships, and becoming the best version of yourself. Reps, hard work, and commitment — even when life sucks.