How do you get through the tough times? Trials are part of life. But we often feel helpless and lost. That’s why I’d like to share with you 20 phrases that will help you get through the tough times and feel better.

1 – “I lay down this burden and go free.”

We don’t always realize it, but day after day we keep the weight of past events on our shoulders. So we’re overwhelmed by emotions like anger and sadness.

But the past is gone, and we can’t change it. So it’s time to let go of that haunting past event and the emotions associated with it.

Let it go and move on, free of all that unnecessary weight.

2 – “I accept what is and let go of what was.”

Too often in life, we believe we can control everything, but that’s not true.

In fact, we can’t control life’s accidents and difficult moments. They just happen. They don’t ask our opinion or question whether it’s right or if it’s the right time.

So stop clinging to your past, to what was, and open yourself up to what is now.

Rebuild a new life, a new path, with what you have now. And let go of the past.

3 – To repeat to yourself during difficult times: “I let go and trust in what will be.”

During difficult times, we’re anxious about the future: what’s going to happen?

In fact, we don’t know. So, rather than vainly trying to predict the future and being afraid of it, why not hope?

Indeed, rather than imagining the worst, why not imagine the best?

So have faith. Feed your hopes instead of your fears.

4 – “I don’t understand it, but I know it all makes sense.”

Sometimes, during difficult times, we spend a lot of time asking ourselves: why is this happening to me? Why now?

And very often, we don’t have the answer, and that frustrates us.

So all we can do is breathe calmly and hold on to this certainty: today I don’t understand, but it makes sense. And one day, it will make sense to me.

5 – “I can’t change others, so I focus on what I do.”

Relationships with others aren’t always calm, in fact, they also sometimes lead to difficult moments.

Because, quite often, we cling to the hope that others will change, that they even have to!

In fact, let’s understand that others are free to do what they want, and so are we.

In other words, rather than waiting for others to do this rather than that, let’s focus on ourselves.

If others don’t want to do as we’d like them to do, we can at least set them an example.

Do what you have to do, without worrying whether others are doing it or not. Concentrate on your steps and be at peace with that.

6 – “I choose to focus on the joys of the future rather than the sorrows of the past.”

All too often, the past spoils our present. Indeed, we hold on to our sadnesses and this causes difficult moments to drag on.

How about letting go of the past and thinking about the future?

Instead of focusing on yesterday, why not imagine and dream about tomorrow?

Remember, we attract to ourselves what we vibrate. That’s why you need to spend time imagining joy in order to attract it, rather than dwelling on your pain.

7 – “I remind myself that to be happy is not to have everything, it’s to need nothing else”, to repeat to yourself during difficult times.

Sometimes we create difficult moments for ourselves by focusing on the things we miss. Yes, our eyes never cease to see the lack around us and we bathe in anger or sadness.

So when you’re having a hard time, remember to focus on what you already have, rather than on what you don’t have or what you no longer have.

8 – “Because my time is limited, I decide to go back to basics.”

We often don’t realize it, but we make difficult moments interminable.

Yes, it’s normal to feel sad when a hardship falls upon us, but for all that, it’s about bouncing back quickly.

After all, our time is limited!

9 – “Not everything is perfect, and yet I can be happy right here, right now.”

If you watch too many ads and movies, you’d think that to be happy you’d have to tick a lot of boxes: a big house, a beautiful wedding, children, an important job…

How about a return to simplicity?

Your life isn’t perfect, and it doesn’t have to be to make you happy.

10 – During difficult times: “I’ve decided not to hold on any longer and to believe that everything will turn out all right”, to repeat to yourself to feel better.

During difficult times, it’s essential to stop for a moment to breathe and nourish our hope that everything will be all right.

11 – “Sometimes, life needs to shake things up to get me back on track. I have faith.”

Indeed, let’s have faith in life. It’s true that sometimes life turns things upside down. And yet, some time later, we realize that it was right to do so.

That’s why, if you’re having a hard time right now, look back at another difficult moment you’ve experienced in the past and see how it helped you in some ways.

12 – During difficult times: “I remember that every day can’t be good, but there’s good in every day.”

Let’s remember, and especially in difficult times, that not everything in life is rosy, but not everything is black either.

So, rather than focusing on everything that goes wrong, let’s focus on everything that goes right.

13 – “I don’t always have to plan or control everything. Sometimes I just need to breathe and let go.”

We often create our own suffering. We think we can control everything, so whenever life throws its weight around, we sigh, get angry or feel sad.

But what if we took a breath and remembered that, yes, life has its own way of doing things?

So let’s let go and see where it all goes.

14 – “I remember that life is a miracle and I choose to follow my joy, rather than let my doubts overwhelm me.”

Indeed, during difficult times, let’s remember to choose joy rather than let our fears and doubts overwhelm us.

To do this, we can look back at events in the past which, at the time, had caused us a great deal of stress, but which ultimately turned out to be positive.

So breathe in and nourish your joy rather than your doubts.

15 – To repeat to yourself during difficult times: “In trial, I seek not the enemy, but the teaching.”

It’s not always easy to put things into perspective during a difficult moment, and yet if we took a few moments to do so, we might feel better.

Ask yourself: what is life teaching me?

16 – During difficult times: “What if instead of expecting the worst, I expected the best?”

Our minds are sometimes far too negative, too focused on everything that could go wrong.

What if we took the time to replace all those doubts with hopes?

17 – “Whatever my past, I resolve to give this day the chance to be the best of my life.”

Indeed, don’t let a difficult moment drag on. Give yourself the chance to move on and get on with your life.

Even if yesterday wasn’t rosy, today can be, but don’t let yesterday’s sadness take over.

18 – “Rather than focusing on what I lack, I focus on what I already have.”

During difficult times, we tend to talk about “lack”, but we could talk about “luck” too.

Indeed, we don’t always realize it, but we are lucky. All we have to do is open our eyes and our hearts.

19 – “Rather than focusing on how far I still have to go, I focus on all the seeds I’ve already sown.”

Sometimes things don’t materialize fast enough in our lives, and just thinking about all the effort we’re still going to have to put in, gets us down.

And yet, can you look at all you’ve already done, all you’ve already sown?

That’s why you should take the time to congratulate yourself, to see your progress, rather than focusing on what you still have to do.

20 – During difficult times: “Whatever happens, I’ll get through it.”

Sometimes life sends us bad news, news that scares us or hurts us, but let’s always keep close to our hearts this certainty: I’ll get through it.

Indeed, when times are tough, take a few moments to look back and see what you’ve already been through. You’re stronger than you think.

Find out more:

I invite you to read these 2 complementary articles:

Discover Quotes to express sadness when you don’t have the words
Discover How to get through a difficult time: 5 tips

I recommend this inspiring book:

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

Set against the backdrop of India’s socio-political upheavals, the novel intricately weaves together the lives of four characters facing unimaginable difficulties. The author explores the resilience of the human spirit in difficult times, offering a poignant reflection on the delicate balance between hope and despair. The characters’ interconnected stories are a powerful testament to the enduring strength that can emerge even in the most difficult of circumstances.

There is so much that works in the book’s favor, the characters’ introductions, their struggles before they all come together, a brief moment of joy and then adversity again to finally surrender to life and take it as it comes and make peace with what is offered. Life is like that.

This book is a real work of art, with particularly meticulous detail. I’d say it’s a must-read.

Thank you very much for reading this article.

If you liked it, let me know in the comments.

Take care of yourself