When Life Gives You Lemons — Call an Attorney

The darkest night always comes before the brightest dawn. When you experience setbacks in life, knowing how to cope with them in a positive way makes all the difference. Whether you're working your way through grief, disappointment, fear, or depression, there are tools you can use to help you get to higher ground. It's just a matter of knowing where they're located and how best to use them.

1.  Your Support Network

Talking to other people might not be high on your list of priorities when you're feeling blue, but you need to ignore that little voice that discourages you from human interaction. If you've ever needed a friend, you need one now. Don't be reluctant to call on those people you call friends and family when the going gets rough. Chances are, they hate seeing you battle your particular demons just as much as you do. A true friend will do anything she can during times like these--sometimes all you have to do is ask.

According to Helpguide.org, leaning on friends and family, especially when you're dealing with grief, is vital. In fact, it may be the most important part of your healing process. Let people help you along on your journey toward regaining peace.

2.  Meditation

Meditation and positive thinking are powerful tools that can transform your life. According to the medical experts at the Mayo Clinic, meditation serves many beneficial purposes:

• It relieves stress.
• It helps restore your sense of balance.
• Meditation can bring you peace and a feeling of well-being.
• It assists in defeating negative emotions.

Learning effective methods of meditation and taking the time to practice them daily can be a huge boost to your healing process.

3.  Good Decisions

Making good decisions can be difficult even in the best of times, and especially so when you're grieving or depressed. But laughter is another tool that has a powerful impact. Repressing your feelings and refusing to engage in enjoyable activities can lead to destructive behavior like drinking and drug use to stifle the pain. It's best to work through your emotions, instead of suppressing them. Livescience lists a few of the reasons why people continue to engage in destructive habits even when they realize the outcome probably won't be good, including:

• Human Defiance
• Genetic Disposition (especially regarding addiction)
• Not Understanding the Possible Consequences Involved

This means that even on a good day, people choose to drink and drive. They opt to misuse drugs. They eat until they throw up. If you're making choices like these to help ease your pain, you're going down a road that's probably going to end in disaster. Remind yourself of the consequences of destructive behavior--getting a DUI, hurting or killing an innocent bystander, or ruining your health--and remind yourself often. And if the fear of what could happen isn't enough to make you stop, seek professional help from professionals, like traffic law attorneys, who have to deal with these consequences everyday.

4.  Your Higher Power

Religion and spirituality are two more powerful tools that can help you heal. Regardless of your denomination, faith, beliefs, or practices--if you believe in a higher power, now is the time to call upon them. Just having faith in something bigger than yourself can bring peace and comfort when you most need it.

A dark and troubled path may seem impossible to navigate--but just remember that you don't have to go it alone, without tools or help from those who care. Learn to call upon those people and practices that bring you the most comfort when times are hard, and they'll help light the way for you. Grief, depression and fear are powerful negative emotions, but they can be conquered and defeated; you just need to know how to use the tools you have on hand.