When Life Gets In The Way...Keep Going.

Sometimes in life we are forced to face a major challenge or issue. Sometimes these issues can be so challenging that all we want to do is hit the pause button on everything else and focus on whatever the issue is. This might seem like the right thing to do initially but it will likely have a negative impact on whatever progress you've made so far in other areas of life.

This week I was confronted with such a challenge. I don't feel comfortable getting into details, but this particular issue has taken much of my focus and even required me to leave work early on Wednesday (something I would never do under normal circumstances). I admit that the latter half of the week was extremely tiring, and at times, it felt nearly impossible to stay on course with my goals. Even as I write this, the issue still exists, but I can't let it hold me back from doing what I need to do like writing this weekly blog post.

While this post does not necessarily have to do with improving your language proficiency, although it absolutely could if the challenge you're facing takes away from your studying, I want to talk about the importance of staying focused even in times of tragedy and some tips you can use to stay on track. As such, I will be breaking this post into two sections.

The Importance Of Staying Focused

Life is unpredictable. You never know when you might be confronted with some sort of urgent situation. When this happens, despite not having control over the situation itself, it is crucial to remember that your response to the situation is completely your choice. Of course, not every situation is the same and some will certainly demand that you take a few steps back from your daily routine-- like my situation on Wednesday-- but you should always try not to immerse yourself fully in such a situation. 

Why? Because since you most likely will not be directly involved in it there really is no point in allowing yourself to get stressed and overly emotional about things. In these times I suggest that you focus on what you are directly involved in: your life.

This might sound a bit heartless, but I'm not saying not to get emotionally involved in an urgent situation. As humans, this is virtually impossible especially if the situation involves someone who is close. What I am saying is that even in such times you need to keep your own wellbeing in mind.

What You Can Do To Stay Focused 

1. Focus on something that is more routine

When confronted with an urgent situation, the first thing you should try to do is shift your focus from the situation to something that is more familiar, that is to say, something that is a part of your daily routine. This could include focusing on work, studying for an exam, working on improving your language proficiency, et cetera. Essentially, anything that is something you do on a daily basis. 

Now, of course, you will most likely not be able to focus entirely on your routine habit. You are probably still going to be thinking about the situation and that's alright. As long as you do not become absorbed by the thought of the situation, it is normal to think about what's going on. Just make sure that you're still putting some sort of effort into other things. It's alright if it's not the 100% that you normally would put into it, but by focusing on things that are more familiar, you are less likely to lose progress.

Think of a race: a runner is not going to be going 100% for the entire race; that would not be physically possible. Rather, her/his energy level is going to wax and wane depending on how they're feeling. So it is with you. Your level of focus will increase and decrease depending on how you're feeling. It would be impossible to give everything 100% of your focus all the time, but as long as you don't allow your focus to drop too significantly-- I'd say below 50%-- then you will still be in good shape for staying on track with your goals.

2. Talk to someone

I know this advice probably sounds super cliche, but even so, it is very important. Talking to someone is always a huge help when feeling overwhelmed but perhaps even more so when confronted with an urgent situation. This is because by releasing some of your thoughts, concerns, and anxieties onto the other person, you probably will feel much more capable of focusing on what's familiar. 

There are two methods you could use while talking to someone. The first is that you could talk about the actual situation and how you feel--almost like a psuedo-theropy session--or you could talk about something completely unrelated as a way to take your mind off of the situation. Sometimes just by spending time with friends and family doing something you enjoy is enough to release some of your excess emotions, which in turn, can help make it easier to focus on your work. 

3. Keep The Faith

Many years ago when I had just started college, I was confronted with a rather dire situation. It wasn't life or death but it was one of those situations that could potentially alter the trajectory of your entire future. At the time, I was doing an internship at a career center, and I would often talk with my supervisor about what was going on in my school life. Honestly, I don't recall much from our conversations but I will never forget the advice he gave me when I told him about my situation.

He said, and I'm paraphrasing here, "Ryan, no matter how tough times get or how hard they seem, you gotta keep the faith".

Those last three words have stuck with me ever since then. They are one of my most cherished mantras. No matter how hard things may get for me or how tough things may seem, as long as I keep the faith, I will persevere.

Keep the faith.

Now, by faith I don't mean faith in a religious sense, although it definitely could if you wanted it to mean that. But faith to me is the strong belief that no matter what life throws at you or challenges you with, as long as you remain focused and determined, you will always make it through the hard times as a better, smarter, and more accomplished person. 

So when dealing with an urgent situation it may help to close your eyes and remember what your goals are, remember what you are working towards, and remember that no matter what the outcome of the situation, by keeping the faith you will always be moving towards a positive future. 

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At Level-Up Proficiency, we understand that learning English involves much more than grammatical structures, conjugating verbs, and learning new vocabulary. Learning English is an emotional journey, and that is why we take into consideration every part of it. Our primary objective is to help you become a more affluent speaker/writer of English, but we will always make sure that this objective is met through our core values: compassion, understanding, and acceptance. 

This means that no matter where you've been or who you are or even what your status is, we will provide you with the best care possible. So whether you plan on moving to the United States, already live here, or even if you just want to improve your English to use in your county, Level-Up Proficiency is here for you.

Some things to be on the look out for:

We realize that reading blog posts may not be everyone's preferred way to get this content. Therefore, we are going to be establishing a video presence for those of you who are auditory learners. You can expect our first video to be posted by December 1. Until then, we will continue to write one blog post a week.

The first few videos will likely be based on one or more of our more popular blog posts. For example, goal setting. We will post more details about this on our Facebook page as they become relevant. 

Ryan M. Shea, English Proficiency Specialist
www.levelupproficiency.com