There is no 'easy way' to deal with difficulties in life. Time doesn't stop for you so that you can pause, deal with things, then allow time to continue on... The best that we can do is grieve while continuing with life.
This is never easy.
In fact, we may even attempt to ignore it, bottle it all up, and pretend that nothing is wrong.
While we all know that this method is often ineffective, we still continue down that path.
There is another way of coping that isn't exactly ignoring the issue, or denying it, or procrastinating:
Distraction!!
Distraction can often resemble the idea of pausing your life to enjoy a moment away... To break that intense concentration on actively dealing with the problem head-on.
For me, this is best achieved through music (of course). When I sit at that keyboard and start performing songs for a crowd (even as small as one person), I completely get lost in my performance. I take the focus away from the metaphoric knives in my hips (or stomach or shoulders etc...), and I purposely try to add new riffs or ways to change the melodies through improvisation. If I am focusing harder on getting each phrase perfect, I don't have much of an opportunity for my mind to wander back to the pain.
Pets and animals can also be great distractions. Before adopting Decker, I would stop in at pet stores just to hang out with the kittens, pups, and bunnies, every few weeks.
Another effective distraction, for me, has always been dancing.
Before being diagnosed with Arthritis (Ankylosing Spondylitis), I would head on down to the local country bar and spend hours two-stepping. Although it may have seemed pretty strange, even if none of my friends could go with me, I had built up enough 'bar friends' that I would even show up to one of these bars - alone. Finding people who also loved to two-step, I would stop in on particularly bad days and just go dancing for a few hours. It always felt like a bit of a break from the incessant pain, it cost nothing on the days I did not (or could not) drink, and it helped me to continue being active.
Over the last three and a half years, my hip issues have somewhat prevented me from dancing much... I still try and get out to two-step every few months or so, but I can't physically manage hours of dancing like I used to.
But last night I had the privilege of singing for, and attending, a 50th anniversary party. First of all, I can tell you that that entire hall was FULL of caring, loving, kind-hearted, and pretty spectacular people. The past few days have not been great in regards to my health, but with a live band, I could NOT resist getting on that dance floor. The band played a variety of music that was all old country and folk music. From polkas and two-steps to a bit of square dancing and more, I gravitated to that floor - called by the fiddle, the guitar, and the accordion!
Despite the pain and the nervousness of increasing that pain, I kicked my heels off anyways and got spun around that dance floor for a few songs.
On the dance floor, in the thick of a quick two-step, waltz, or polka, I don't remember actually thinking about the pain. Dancing acted as an incredibly enjoyable distraction, and even though I had a hell of a time walking afterwards, it was 100% worth it to feel that tiny bit of a break. And, shockingly, because I was able to truly get lost in the music and the movement and with whom I was dancing, I managed to stay about an hour and a half longer than I had expected to last!
If you ever feel like you need a break, get lost in an activity or hobby or show. It won't stop the pain, but it can distract your attention away from the pain just long enough to feel refreshed and find some increased internal strength to continue dealing with the difficulties in life.
Plus, tonight - in my favor - while I was limping and hobbling at a crawling pace out of the hall, I looked more like a wasted blonde girl who couldn't walk in her heels rather than a young person with mobility issues from arthritic hips.
In my physical appearance, I completely fit the stereotype.
Get lost!
It is a much more positive way to take a break and kind of ignore any of life's hardships.