by Chinonso Ogbogu

….it’s easy for you to generate energy when things are moving great. But what about when they go wrong…and keep going wrong?….

Between puberty and menopause, are a woman’s periods—otherwise christened menstrual circle. But before you quickly surmise my next sentences, just note that this piece isn’t just for or about the shes. It’s also for and about the hes. Therefore, the period I am talking about is the one that has no puberty and no menopause. It is called lifetrual circle—the periods when we get hit by life’s challenges and it appears as if we may not make it through. Challenges are age-old denominators that will continue to co-exist with humans, and there is nothing you can do to alter such permutation.

However, when you go through your lifetrual circle, there are some critical do-nots you should know and adhere to. If you follow them, these do-nots are canons that help you go through your lifetrual circle successfully. They are…

1. DON’T LOSE YOUR VALUES: Not only will your challenges come to test the strength of your values, they will also try to steal or contaminate them. Therefore, when you go through life’s challenges, it’s important that you guide your values with all diligence. Stay true to your values because when your current challenges are over, it’s your values that will take you to the top, keep you there…and give your life a true meaning.

2. DON’T LOSE YOUR ENERGY: You need energy to confront your challenges and create success—the energy of passion, purpose, faith, joy, hope, grit. However, it’s easy for you to generate energy when things are moving great. But what about when they go wrong…and keep going wrong? Well, it doesn’t matter what circumstance hits you, you actually decide what level of energy you bring into your space. When you go through tough times, don’t lose your energy. In fact, that’s the time you need to up the ante.

3. DON’T RESORT TO SELF-PITY: That you are going through challenges is understandable. But that you begin to feel pity for yourself as a result of the challenge is cowardly and dangerous. Don’t fall into that trap—its consequences are usually not palatable. Rather than feel pity for yourself, brace up and be a man! Take full responsibility and begin to paddle your own boat. There is pride in such, and it’s called dignity of labour. Remember, success won’t come to you out of pity. It will only come to you out of principles.

4. DON’T CREATE DIS-EMPOWERING REPRESENTATIONS: When you find yourself going through a challenge, always remember that the problem is not the challenge. The problem is actually how you interpret the challenge to yourself. It was Stephen Covey, author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, who said, “The way you see the problem is the problem.” The way you represent a challenge to yourself can either empower you to grow or dis-empower you. Therefore, choose to empower yourself with the way you represent your challenge. Pick up your challenge and give it a better meaning—a meaning that puts you in a state to overcome and grow.

5. DON’T COME OUT FROM IT UNLEARNED: Many people go through challenges, but that’s just all they do. It is only a few that grow through their challenges. Challenges will come and go, but the key question is: What state will they leave you in? Do they leave you a better person? When challenges hit you and you don’t learn from them, you’re only shortchanging yourself. So this is what I suggest: When you find yourself going through a challenge, take a pause, step back and ask yourself: What’s this challenge teaching me or what can I learn from this challenge? The truth is that, there is always something to learn when you ask such vital question.

Use the above five do-nots to maximize your own lifetrual circle. And if you like the five prescriptions, please don’t forget to share them with someone you know is seeing his or her period…

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Chinonso Ogbogu is a business trainer, success coach, highly sought-after conference speaker, gifted writer, adept blogger, and a radio personality. He is the radio host of popular radio programme known asSuccessMatters™, and the owner of www.chinonsowrites.com. He is the author of the powerful book known as ‘THE VOICES’. Follow in him Facebook on: www.facebook.com/chinonsowrites or twitter on:@chinonsowrites

Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.