How to Turn Difficult Times into a Period of Growth

If there is one thing that most people have in common during the last few months, it is that the pandemic has created more stress and made life more difficult. In fact, a study published in the September 2020 issue of the journal Science Advances found that acute stress and depressive symptoms increased significantly over time as COVID-19 news took center stage. Without a doubt, it has been a difficult time for most people, but one impact coach says this is the perfect time to grow from those challenging times.

“A crisis always offers opportunity for growth and meaning,” explains Katie Sandler, personal development and career coach. “Many people don’t realize the potential that difficult times bring in terms of helping them to further develop, both personally and in their career.”

That’s where Sandler comes in. She aims to help people have a different view about challenging times, so they can use them to their advantage. She specializes in helping people turn difficult times into periods of growth and reach new levels of success. She helps people in a variety of ways, including through one-on-one coaching, impact retreats, and corporate impact events. She has worked extensively with executive career coaching clients and in career development for women.

Her coaching and retreats have helped many people to make a better connection and be able to overcome situations that may otherwise have held them back. She has helped many people through one-on-one life and success coaching, including doing virtual retreats. She has also helped people reach their career goals, as well as personal achievement goals. Having spent over 15 years researching purpose, she has made it her mission to help people find their purpose in life.

Her clients routinely benefit from her helping them become unstuck, create more balanced and fulfilling life, overcome blocks, design a more meaningful career path, make transitions in their life, stay focused, cope with change, and integrate spirituality into their daily lives. Here are some of the things that she believes are crucial to thriving:

• Stop and ask. We are now living in a daily situation where we have to be more mindful of our thoughts, actions, feelings, and behaviors. Disconnection breeds discontentment, and at some point we stop to ask: What is happening, why is this happening, and what can I do to make it better?
• Test new ways. It’s during this time that it is important to start testing out new ways of thinking, feeling, and being – and this process inevitably brings growth. This is the time to get off of autopilot and become more cognizant of your personal wants and needs.
• Become more resilient. Far too often today, there are people who are having difficulty being able to bounce back from even the smallest of setbacks. Yet people are being forced to face adversity in every way, shape or form. This has become an obstacle to overcome – one which we all share – making this the most globally collective experience. We must become more resilient to what the world throws our way.
• Slow down and simplify. When we try to take on too much at once, it can become stressful and overwhelming. Taking things at a slower and more simple pace will help you get where you want to be in a more peaceful manner.
• Confront challenges head-on. We have a tendency to want to hide under the covers when adversity comes our way, but that won’t stop it from coming. We can be more successful overcoming the challenges if we adopt an attitude that we will address it head-on and come out ahead.

“Clarity, attitude, and connection are going to make a major impact in one’s life when they are faced with difficult times,” added Sandler. “I’ve helped countless people be able to make the connection and essentially get out of their own way, so that they can go on to grow and succeed.”

Sandler works with individuals, groups, and corporations to help people become more impactful and successful. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in mental health counseling, has a strong foundation in mindfulness-based stress reduction, and has worked in hospitals and private practices. She has also spent time as a research assistant at Johns Hopkins. She offers a variety of one-on-one coaching and corporate opportunities, as well as wellness and impact retreats.

Impact retreats offer a low-key wellness opportunity for travelers looking for a unique experience. Upcoming retreats include Reignite in Tulum, Mindfulness in Mykonos, Rewire and Renew in The French Alps, Mindfulness & Mindset in The Hamptons.

Katie Sandler is a popular impact and private wellness coach. She offers retreats around the world, as well as private coaching and corporate impact coaching opportunities. She focuses on helping people become more successful, overcome adversity, and reach new career goals.