This is the title of a ‘New York Times’ bestselling book that was written back in the 1980s, but its lessons hold true even today.

“Nobody is free from problems. A problem-free life is an illusion—a mirage in the desert. It is a dangerously deceptive perception which can mislead, blind and distract. To pursue a problem-free life is to run after an elusive fantasy; it is a waste of mental and physical energies,” writes the American author Robert H. Schuller who is a televangelist, pastor and motivational speaker.

There is nothing new in this idea you might say, but Schuller’s book makes inspirational reading and provides a useful action plan for coping with troubled times. He says:

• Every problem has a limited life span and no problem is permanent. Your problem will eventually be resolved just like storms give way to the sun and winter always thaws into springtime.
• You may not have chosen your problem, but you can choose how to react to it, in a positive or a negative way. You can choose to become stronger and learn from it, or better still turn the problem into an opportunity; alternatively, you can choose to be a victim, and wallow in self-pity.
• Take action to solve your problem, look for solutions and be patient and persist till you find one. Hang in there till the clouds pass.

Additionally, I would like to suggest that to cope with problems or the ‘downs’ in your life it is essential to build up your ‘armour ‘, your ‘coping toolkit’. And this can best be done when things are going well and you are enjoying the ‘ups’ in your life. To build up your armour and toughen up, be nice to yourself, give yourself small treats and rewards, do your best to enjoy the good times, savour every moment and do not spoil your mood by dwelling on the past or imagining what could go wrong in the future. In other words do not worry, get anxious, be pessimistic and indulge in worst-case-scenario thinking.

If you worry and get anxious when times are good, then when bad times hit you, you will probably not have the emotional strength to cope, and you will quickly collapse like a house of cards. Tough times do need tough people so build up your armour, make deposits in your emotional bank, just like you would build your muscles and train for a marathon.