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Why You Should Never Forget Difficult Times No Matter How Successful You Become

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how to get past the tough times

How’s everything in your life? Is your love life on track? Are your finances in check? How about your family? How are they doing? On a measure of one to ten, how happy are you with where you’re at in life?

Life can never be 100% fine. At some point, something is likely to be off track. However, sometimes things are too challenging to the extent that we have nothing to smile about. Such is what we call the tough moments – our lowest point. I believe that we should never forget the difficult times in our lives because they come with valuable lessons.

Below are 8 things difficult times teach you:

1. You are a strong person

Learning that you are a powerful individual is a blessing because it empowers your mind. They say that the purest gold has been through a very hot fire, and so is the strongest man or woman.

When you go through a dark phase in your life, and you manage to conquer it, you remain stronger than you were before the tragedy happened. Difficult times teach you that you will be fine no matter what happens. You will build up resilience to levels you never imagined you could. Eventually, you will have the strength and power to combat even seemingly impossible situations.

2. The people you lose remain a part of you

We all have a friend who we cannot imagine life without him or her. When they leave, you’re heart broken; it is hard to forget them. They live in the warmth of your broken heart, and it takes a long time to heal back up. It is more like breaking an ankle because it never quite heals completely. The most important part is that you learn to live past the hurt.

3. You are your best pal and your worst enemy

When life hits you hard, the first thing that most people usually do is self-loathe. You hate yourself for allowing the situation to get the better of you. You then hate yourself for allowing such mean friends into your life. The hatred goes on and on. Before you realize it, you are in a situation that is worse than it was previously, and you are in a deep hole of sadness.

Having been through a rough patch, you understand that you can be your worst enemy. Whenever a similar situation presents itself, you will avoid self-loathe because you know its effects best.

“We’re our own worst enemy. You doubt yourself more than anybody else ever will. If you can get past that, you can be successful.” – Michael Strahan

4. You need to change

Some tough situations come along because of our carelessness. Let’s say you are in debt; it may have happened because you lost a job or you were living beyond your means. If the latter applies to your life, it’s time you think about how you can change your behavior.

Rather than focusing on the external circumstances, think about how you may have been to blame and work on that. What aspect of your life can you change to improve the situation? Failing to accept the truths that life present to you will leave you entrenched in traps that you will never manage to escape.

5. You may lose control of life, but you can control yourself

Let’s say you were born in a dysfunctional family, is there much you can do about it? Not really, but you can work on having a functional one in your adult years. Surrendering to life makes you vulnerable and weak. You become influenced by what people think about you and peer influence.

On the flip side, harnessing the power inside you to control your life brings you to a healthy environment. Surround yourself with good influences and work on improving your skills regularly.

6. Regret hurts more than fear

When you give in to your fears, you may not even manage to look yourself in the mirror. Sadly, only a few people learn the lesson immediately. For others, it takes longer and ends up being very painful.

It is only when you risk losing that you can open up to the possibility of winning. Whether you desire to build a business or your current work environment is toxic, you must learn how to let go of what you think is familiar before achieving other things. If you stick there, years later you will regret why you never left.

“I have no regrets in my life whatsoever.” – Drew Barrymore

7. You know what matters and what doesn’t

When you are in excellent financial standing, you find pleasure in eating out, drinking with friends, shopping, and other activities that you can afford. When you are broke, and you cannot afford those things, it occurs to you that they never mattered in the first place. It hits you that they are only temporary pleasures that you can do without.

During a difficult period, you learn how to find joy in the simple things in life. Over time, you get to appreciate what you have more.

8. Not everyone is for you

When you are at your lowest point, you have the chance to know who your true friends are and who aren’t real. No matter how cliché this might seem, it is one of the most valuable lessons that you will pick when you are at a low point in life.

Failure is absolutely necessary! If life was perfect from day one, trust me, it would be too dull to enjoy. Even if it feels like the challenging situation will never end. Reach out to your loved ones or find help if you can. The moment all the hurt ends, you will realize that it was worthwhile. Never forget those tough moments because they contribute to the fantastic person you are today!

How do you overcome the tough moments in your life? What advice do you have for other people going through rough patches? Share you thoughts below!

Steven Sanders is a long-time biohacker and certified holistic health practitioner who is passionate about nutrition and optimizing health. He loves spending times hiking and camping in the woods. Steven contributes regularly to Nootropic Underground.

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The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

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Why one-size-fits-all leadership doesn’t work
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The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025

Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

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Bridging the gap between employees and employers
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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.

What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

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