The Art of Shifting Perspective During Hard Times

Hard times magnify everything. Disappointment feels bigger, silence feels louder, and setbacks feel heavier.

I remember a season in my freelancing journey when rejections piled up. Proposals went unanswered, projects slipped away, and I started questioning if I should even keep going. Every “no” felt like proof that I wasn’t enough.

But then I had a conversation with a fellow freelancer. Instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me?” she asked, “What is this teaching me?”

That single shift in perspective changed how I looked at my own situation. Instead of seeing unanswered proposals as a failure, I began to see them as practice—each one sharpening my clarity, my confidence, and my voice. Instead of thinking, “Nobody wants to hire me,” I reframed it into, “The right client hasn’t found me yet.”

The situation didn’t magically improve overnight. But how I carried it did. And sometimes, that shift is what keeps you steady until the better days arrive.

Practical Ways to Shift Perspective

Here are three strategies I’ve learned (and still practice) when hard times hit:

1. Change the question.
   Swap “Why is this happening to me?” with “What can I learn from this?” This small change moves your focus from blame to growth.

2. Zoom out.
   In the middle of a setback, it feels permanent. But if you step back and look at the bigger picture, one rejection, one delay, or one failed decision is just a chapter—not the whole story.

3. Flip the language.
   Words carry weight. “I failed” sounds final. But “I’m still learning” keeps the door open. Practice catching your words and giving them a more empowering twist.

Life will always hand us challenges we didn’t ask for. But perspective is a choice we can control. And often, that choice becomes the bridge between despair and resilience.