How to get through tough times, by Chief Scout, Bear Grylls OBE

By Scouts Correspondent, Jill Dando News

When life starts to feel trickier than usual, Chief Scout, Bear Grylls has some brilliant tips to help us find a way through.

We all go through difficult times in life. Those times where we need a bit more support, a helping hand, or a friend to lean on.

If you’re not feeling your best at the moment, that’s OK. Chief Scout, Bear Grylls has some great tips for helping you weather the storm.

Looking after your mental health

It’s important we remember to look after our mental health and check in with one another. If you think you or someone might be going through a difficult time, take a look at our guidance for supporting mental health.

If you’re looking for a moment of calm among the chaos, we’ve plenty of mindfulness activities for your sessions.

Tips for getting through tough times

1. Ask for help

There’s always someone to talk to. Asking someone for help is a sign of strength not weakness.

2. Accept there are some things you can’t change

Don’t waste energy complaining about the rain. It won’t stop a single drop. Remember, the storms make us stronger.

3. Remember that this will pass

At some point, you’ll be on the other side of this problem. Think how good you’ll feel when this is all over and you can be proud that you prevailed and endured.

4. Focus on the good things, not the bad

If life isn’t going your way, then think about what good things you have. Watch a favourite film, read a book, or talk to a friend. When life hands a Scout some lemons, we make lemonade!

5. Sleep

Good regular sleep (eight hours is ideal) will make you feel better about everything. Don’t look at the bright screen on your phone before going to bed, and say sorry to someone if you’ve upset them. There is no pillow as soft as a clear conscience!

6. Move

It’s amazing how your cares float away when you go for a walk, swim or jog. It makes you feel like you’ve literally outrun your problems and left them behind. So get outside, get fresh air, and get moving. Get sun on your face and earth under your bare feet as much as you can (I do this every day). Be a person who thrives in the outdoors.

7. Spend time with positive people

Negative people will drain your energy at the best of times, let alone when things are tough. Try to avoid the dream-stealers as much as you can – those who dismiss your goals or aspirations. Life is full of dream-stealers. Ignore them!

Instead, where you can, hang out with those who make you feel better about life. People tend either to be a radiator or a drain. ‘Radiators’ light and warm up a conversation or situations. ‘Drain’s sap the energy and positivity from you. We all probably know some of both types of person. Hang out with ‘radiators’ – and choose to be one yourself!

8. Think about how this experience will help you grow

Every tough experience is also a lesson in life. You’ll be better equipped next time you face a crisis. So don’t look at a failure as just a failure. Instead, consider it a great lesson. This has helped me many times, and trust me, I have failed often!

9. Eat well

When you’re feeling down, it’s all too easy to reach for chips and doughnuts. Comfort food. But comfort food is a cheap hit and a temporary answer. In fact, it answers nothing, but tends to leave us weaker, lower, and unhappier.

Instead, pick natural foods, whole foods; the stuff you’d find in nature. These are the foods that as humans we have evolved over hundreds of thousands of years to thrive on. Food is fuel. Put the good stuff in and you’ll get good results out.

10. Never give up

No matter how hard things get, if you just keep going, you’ll get to the other side. Never give up has a strength all of its own. Use it and depend on it. Make having a Never Give Up spirit your superpower.

These tips are just some of the great things you’ll find in Bear’s new book: Do Your Best: How to be a Scout – the ultimate Scouts handbook.

Buy on Scout Store now and get an exclusive ‘Do Your Best’ badge with your order.

Jill Dando News has its own Scouts correspondents. They find good news stories from across the world relating to Scouts.