As youngsters, we have dreams that are often met with harsh reality with time. As we grow older, we discover that life does not always turn out the way we planned. Our journey often takes us to places we did not expect or want to reach, and along the way, we usually encounter many setbacks. In moments like these, when we feel that life is not going the way we planned, it’s important for us to remember some inspirational and motivational phrases that will help us get through tough times and steer our lives back in the direction we had planned.

1) Everything in life is impermanent

The worst thing we feel when we go through a challenging time and life is not going as we wanted is that we’ll never be able to get out of it, which only perpetuates the negative feeling. When we sink into such a gloomy mood, we tend to look at everything in life as if it is negative, but it’s not so. Hard times, no matter how endless they may seem, do have an end. Repeating the phrase “Everything in life is impermanent” and saying it during tough times will help us in ways we did not expect simply by diverting our attention from the situation and focusing on solutions — which becomes possible when we don’t direct all our thoughts on negative aspects.

“I refuse to quit because I haven’t tried all possible ways yet.” — Unknown

2) The scars are a sign of strength, not weakness

As we all know, scars are not just physical; they are also psychological. Often, these scars occur because of people in our lives whose behavior left a mark on us; in other cases, it is due to unfortunate circumstances beyond our control, and sometimes we develop scars because of mistakes we make. Either way, when we start to heal from those wounds, something good happens; the scar that once seemed terrifying serves as a reminder of what we have been through and how we overcame it. It allows us to move forward stronger and wiser, and that’s where its strength — and ours — lies.

“You’re a fighter. Look at everything you’ve overcome in the past. Do not give up now.” — Olivia Benson

3) Staying positive when those around us are negative

Unfortunately, sometimes the people closest to us are the ones who try to discourage us or suppress our aspirations and desires, whether unintentionally or deliberately. When people we spend more time with, speak negatively, they have a greater impact than the words of strangers, which can unsettle us. At such times, our self-confidence is tested, and we owe it to ourselves to stay true to our principles and stick to the path we have chosen. When we feel that people around us are being negative towards us, we need to keep smiling, even if it is not easy, and stay positive because we deserve it.

“Positivity, confidence and persistence are key in life, so never give up on yourself.” — Khalid

4) Wisdom often comes from pain and suffering

Older people are considered the wisest in society, given the fact that they have been through many challenges in life and have learned from them. This wisdom comes at the cost of many difficulties, but it is worth it as we become wiser to deal with a comparable situation in the future. Acquiring wisdom happens if we observe certain situations in our lives objectively — as witnesses. Whenever we experience a crisis where life does not appear the way we want, we need to observe, be a witness, and understand what we can learn from it.

5) Even when we struggle, we are moving forward

The worst thing we can do for ourselves when we feel that life is not going our way is to decide to give up. When we do that, we do not stay in the same place but rather move backwards. Hence, we must choose the struggle, which is harder but also more rewarding eventually. To move our life forward, we must be a fighter in demanding situations so we can get through them and, under no circumstances, give up and retreat.

“Circumstances don’t defeat you — you defeat yourself when you give up.” Jonathan Lockwood Huie

“Don’t worry about failures, worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try.” — Jack Canfield

6) Fear and worry change nothing

We are victims of our own limited thinking and a conditioned mind. We need to think of the people around us, the goals they set for themselves, and how successful they are in achieving them. It is likely that those who succeeded in getting what they wanted are people who did not let fear stop them, unlike those who are full of paralyzing fears. When life gets stuck and does not go in the direction we want, we need to check whether what caused it is our fear of moving forward or giving up in advance on goals that seemed impossible to us. To neutralize this fear, we need to remember that we are in a situation we are not happy with. Also, this situation is not better than trying and failing in certain cases. Hence, we should direct our energies not on fears but on actions and efforts will move us forward.

“Things aren’t always easy, but you just have to keep going and don’t let the small stuff bog you down.” — Stella Maeve

7) The best option is to keep moving forward

Often, we may feel that life has defeated us, that it has placed obstacles in our path which we simply cannot overcome, and that there is no point in even trying to change the situation. This defeatist attitude is more dangerous than any situation we are in because it means giving up. Instead, we need to think of every conceivable way to overcome the obstacle, bypass the problem, and once again reach a state where we feel we are walking the path of life we want. That will make us happy and positive.

“To conquer frustration, one must remain intensely focused on the outcome, not the obstacles.” — T. F. Hodge

“It is not wanting to win that makes you a winner; it is
refusing to give up.”