7 ways to bounce back in difficult times

Have you ever gotten to the place when something in your career goes wrong? You see it happening, but for whatever reason you can’t stop it? Your reputation is on the line. People begin talking; you feel absolutely helpless, and the consequences can sometimes come from well-intentioned motives. Now, you are left with the pieces to figure how to put them back together. Is it even possible? Will people give you a second chance, especially when you live in a small community where everyone knows everyone?{{more}}

No matter how professional we may think we are, at the heart of everyone striving to build a career and a future for themselves is a human being doing the best he or she knows. Unfortunately, when people live in small communities, bouncing back when you’ve made an error can seem like a monumental task. People almost have to be perfect in order to be successful and that is virtually impossible. At some point, we all make mistakes — the key is to learn how to bounce back and not get stuck.

Here are a few tips:

1. Acknowledge the error immediately. Although uncomfortable, humble yourself and admit the error, and the sooner the better.

2. Plan the fix. Lay out a plan of action so you know what steps you will take to address the concerns at hand.

3. Find advocates. Sometimes you will not be able to correct a problem without enlisting the assistance of others. When problems involve broken relationships, misunderstandings and miscommunication, it might be best actually to allow someone else to speak on your behalf to smooth things over, and then you follow up.

4. Resist the urge to constantly discuss the matter. Just retelling the story to multiple people can increase the emotional agony of the problem. Stick to one, maybe two people, who are focused on resolving the problem.

5. Give it time, especially when people and emotions are involved. Give them time to move forward. Some people may not be quite ready.

6. Pray. Sometimes only a prayer can touch the hearts of those in the position to help you resolve the issue. You know it’s said prayer can move mountains, so why not?

7. Forgive yourself. Don’t spend weeks or months verbally and emotionally beating yourself up. Forgive yourself and decide to do better, even if those around you may not believe it quite yet. You have to give yourself permission to bounce back, as your best days are still ahead of you.

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