Welcome to the happiness podcast. I'm Dr. Robert Puff. As we go through life, there are periods of time that are more difficult than others, times we just have challenges.

So in this podcast today we're going to look at how do we get

through these difficult times? What do we do to make sure our lives still confine

happiness when life is hard.

And I don't think this is an uncommon experience.

A few days ago I got an email from one of our listeners called Allison.

She wrote, I'm a mother of two small children ages two and five and

there are some days when I'm just so overwhelmed by everything that I have to do to take care of

the kids, the household, all my responsibilities, I get so easily

focus on what is the next thing I need to do.

Who needs what? Who needs to be where when etc that it's hard to stay present and I find myself easily

discontented and irritable at all the directions I'm being pulled, almost all the day and sometimes night.

Do you have any advice for staying mindful and happy during this very trying season of life, Allison.

And I don't think Allison's experience is that unique.

I think many of us go through periods of times that are literally just exhausting.

We may be going through a cancer treatment program, we may be in the process of moving,

we may be going through a very difficult academic challenge

and pairing ourselves for the future.

There are times that are just challenging.

So how do we do these times well? Well one of the first things we always want to do is be

kind towards ourselves if we are going through a difficult time and finding it hard to find peace and happiness in the present moment.

It isn't going to do us any good to be self-critical or judging ourselves.

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