10 Ways to Deal with Unexpected Hardship

Hardship is defined as any condition that is difficult to endure. Unexpected issues and events can easily take us far outside our comfort zones. Chaos, confusion and fear can greet us on the other side. In a position of family leadership, we are responsible to prepare for these moments. We can mentally prepare ourselves with forward vision and physically prepare ourselves in numerous ways applicable to each situation. We need to protect our blindside from what might be sneaking up on us. There will be times that, no matter what we do in advance, life is going to pull a shocker on us. However, with some clever effort, we can lessen the effects unexpected hardships have on our relationships, children and marriages. One makes All-Pro status mainly due to everything he does before the game ever starts. The same holds true as a dad. Here are 10 ways we can deal with unexpected hardships before and after they afflict us.

1. Financial Difficulties

   This concern most likely affects every person reading this. Very few of us can escape the worries and stress related to keeping our financial houses afloat. The housing crash was most certainly a great example of an unexpected hardship that hit millions of Americans. The simplest way to prepare for financial trouble in advance is to live within our means. We can also keep our personal debt to the smallest amount possible. Of course that is elementary advice, but those two things will protect your family from most things that can unexpectedly occur. For professional and practical advice on how to get out of financial hardship, visit www.daveramsey.com.

2. Health Issues

   There is usually nothing more devastating than when sudden and drastic health issues occur. Life can go from happy and normal to the exact opposite in a matter of seconds. The mental trauma and financial impact on our marriages and families can extract an enormous toll. We can prepare in advance in several ways. First and foremost, we can take all of the preventative health advice that our doctors provide. Most times however, no matter how well we take care of our bodies, life has other plans. Mentally, we can look forward and develop contingency strategies. In the military, this is called war gaming. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. 

3. Senseless Tragedy

   So far, this century is littered with acts of violence and senseless tragedy. At the time of writing this, another has just occurred in a Colorado movie theatre where multiple people have been shot by a random gunman. The families of the victims suffer in anguish. Meanwhile, the entire nation will now deal with another round of heartache and examination as to why these things keep happening. The primary way to handle this event, and possibly prevent them in the future, is to dig deeper to the root cause in our society that is breeding such deep hatred capable of carrying out such darkness. For instance, this organization is dedicated to building strong family foundations. The question is where are those foundations being destroyed? Our nation desperately needs to find that answer. 

4. Family Matters

   Uncle Joe and Aunt Mary announce they are getting divorced after 25 years. The 21 year old nephew that is an athletic star and family hero admits to drug addiction. Daughters get pregnant in their teens and sons turn to crime and violence. It is a safe bet that no family is completely immune to unexpected events such as these. How we handle them says everything about the character of the family and the future direction it will take. These are personal matters and there is not a blanket solution to individual cases. The one thing to keep in mind is that family always comes first, so never give up on those that are struggling within it. 

5. Transportation Problems

   Most of us depend on a car to take us to the places we need to go. That is a reality for most Americans. What happens when that car is removed from the equation? Most Americans are living on tight budgets, and rising gas prices, unexpected repairs, and required maintenance for our automobiles can cause serious issues. We must have reliable transportation. A few solutions are public transportation, bicycles, and good old fashioned walking as alternatives. However, none of those are practical for a good many. We cannot predict when the unexpected is going to happen, but we can certainly apply all of the preventative measures possible to lessen the impact when they do. 

6. Social Turmoil

   Can we agree that all of us usually don’t agree? Our relationships and friendships can be severely tested at times. Our actions and words can hurt others and vice versa. These are outspoken times and the country has never been more divided. In order to keep a semblance of stability in our social lives, all we need to do is fall back on the one rule that almost every civilization on earth believes in. The golden rule. The next time you are unexpectedly blindsided by friend or neighbor for any particular reason, your reaction will determine that relationship going forward. Stay calm, think before you speak, and always consider how you wish to be treated and apply that principle.

7. Job Loss

   The actual figure varies from source to source, but any way we look at it, unemployment in America right now is at one of the highest levels since the Great Depression. Millions of Americans are out of work and suffering. You may be one of them is you or what if you’re next? The reality of today is that we need to mentally and financially prepare for the possibility that our incomes may be reduced or lost all together. What would we do and how would we react? We must always keep a positive outlook that matters will improve and job security will grow, but we must also plan for that not to be the case. The goal is always to lessen the mental and physical trauma of such blows to our families.

8. Marital Complications

   Divorce in America is nearly, if not completely, at an epidemic level. Too many spouses continue to be hit out of the blue with knowledge that their partner has lied, cheated, and worse during their marriage. Hearts are broken and families are broken in half in the process. Once again, the obvious goal here is prevention as well as continual maintenance. This site is overloaded with ideas and thoughts to help strengthen your marriage, and also needs your ideas and input as well. Happy marriages, troubled marriages, even divorced marriages if children are involved—all must see constant effort and communication to maintain family harmony and personal happiness. 

9. Community Tension

   We are living in a time where community tensions are at an all-time high. It seems like there is a street protest everyday about something. One group faces off against another group, and the stakes are raised to the highest level each time. It is out of control. To most Americans, all of this tension certainly comes unexpected, and the general reaction is to basically pretend it doesn’t exist. Instead, what we need to be doing is engaging—getting into our communities and seeking out the areas that need our help. Those areas seem to be endless and every person willing to get involved matters greatly. Our quality of life and the quality of life for our children and future generations depends on what we are doing today. At the moment, that quality of life appears to be sinking and multiplying hardship.

10. When Nature Strikes

    Perhaps the ultimate unexpected hardship comes when nature decides to strike and strike hard. Hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, drought, and all sorts of extreme weather touch all of us in one way or another. The business world describes these events as “acts of God.” There is no way to determine where the next catastrophe will be. The best idea is to assume it will happen to your family. The government suggests that every American household should have enough basic supplies and food to sustain on their own for at least 3 days. If the government says 3 days, probably wise to go ahead and make that 3 weeks. For a detailed list of items to consider, visit http://www.ehow.com/list_6735525_list-survival-supplies.html

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