In life, there are going to be those times where things take a turn for the worst, almost suddenly. Maybe someone you love died unexpectedly, maybe you lost your job, maybe your loved one was diagnosed with cancer, maybe you lost your house. Be it whatever, these hard times can really take a mental toll on us, and if we don't handle the situation in a healthy way, we can do further harm to ourselves that has already been done.

I've recently been going through one of the most difficult and emotionally taxing times in my life following a sudden, disheartening experience, which I do plan on writing about in the very near future (For those of you reading this who know me, you pretty much know exactly what I am talking about). It has been a month of emotions combined with every thought and reaction imaginable, and I won't lie, I seriously didn't think I'd ever fully bounce back from this.

However, I took it upon myself to figure out what I could do to ease the situation and help me get through this period of confusion and uncertainty. Through doing this, I have lessened my anxieties, calmed my emotions, and turned this negative situation into a positive, hopeful one. Here are 5 of the many methods I personally feel one should use when going through such a difficult time themselves:

Life is full of obstacles and the unexpected. We can't prevent such things from happening to us, but what we can do is learn how to cope and manage each situation to the best of our abilities. It is a sign of strength when you come out the other side, knowing you handled a difficult situation as positively and thoroughly as you could.

Life is measured in experiences, and we really can't appreciate the good times without the bad times to show us what we have to be thankful for.