When bad news hits, it can feel like the world is crumbling.
When you know the right way to deal with things, you can grow from upsetting news. However, finding the right way can be more complicated than it sounds, especially when you’re mad or sad.
You deserve a life that’s full of joy and happiness – not one where you’re stuck in a dark place without any hope. Let us help you get back on track! In this article we’ll outline the top crisis communication tips, so you can move forward.
Read on to learn the best ways to deal with a crisis.
Acknowledge and Accept Bad News
One of the first things to do when you’re dealing with crisis communication or bad news is to stop and acknowledge it. Maybe you had an unpleasant conversation with your boss.
Perhaps you had a chat with a family member about why they don’t like you or a talk with your doctor about an illness. How you choose to process the information will determine how you design your future.
Trying to ignore or suppress your feelings and emotions will only make things worse. When you don’t face feelings, it’s easy to internalize them.
Ultimately, internalized feelings can result in anxiety or depressive symptoms. And if you’re already experiencing depression, avoidance can prolong the recovery process!
Acceptance is a critical component in overcoming negative feelings. When you acknowledge how you feel, you can start to process what the next steps will be.
Isn’t Accepting Just Giving Up?
If you hear the word acceptance and think of giving up, it’s time to adopt a new life philosophy. There will always be things outside of your control in life. Other people’s actions, the weather, and countless other things aren’t within your realm of control.
However, that doesn’t mean you have to despair! When you learn to focus on the things within your control, you can get a new sense of empowerment.
For instance, let’s say you find out that your finances are in worse condition than you thought. Your debt is three times the amount you believe it to be, and your credit score couldn’t be lower. While this news is devastating, it doesn’t have to be destructive.
Instead of giving up and ignoring your finances forever, you can decide to accept reality. Accept the fact that your finances aren’t the way you want them to look. Accept the mistakes and wrong turns that got you to a place of pennies instead of a fortune. Perhaps, you’ll even have to accept that you have no clue what to do to fix things.
Or maybe you’re dealing with the grief of losing a pet. Avoiding telling friends and family, or holding on to old pet belongings, can be detrimental.
By accepting the reality of your situation, you’ll be putting yourself in a position to take action. Instead of being somebody that life happens to, you’ll be somebody that life happens for. Your mindset is everything.
Once you learn the power of acceptance and acknowledgment, you can cultivate a winning mindset. You might not feel instantly excellent, accepting the things you don’t want to face, but give it time. As you gain new insights, you’ll see how acceptance creates the opportunity to heal.
Reach Out to a Friend or Family Member
Moving on, it’s our experience that one of the most helpful things to do in a crisis reaches out to a friend or family member. Speaking with somebody can be an integral part of helping yourself process things. Even if you’re not experiencing some massive crisis (we all go through rough patches!), reaching out can be helpful.
It could be something as small as finding out you have to pay a large bill you weren’t expecting. Perhaps you have the funds to pay the bill, but it’s bothering you that your finances aren’t as consistent as you’d like. As you talk about the situation out loud, you may discover feelings or perspectives you weren’t fully conscious of before.
Choose the Right Person
Be smart about who you choose to talk to. Sometimes, people can become too emotionally involved in your crisis. You don’t want somebody else’s drama to make things even worse!
Sometimes, when your go-to person is experiencing difficulties, it’s perfectly okay to reach out to somebody else. Whether it’s a close friend, family member, or confidant, this is usually the time when you need somebody the most.
Sometimes people need an ear to bend and someone who can offer encouragement. Other times, people need an advocate to help them process what’s happening. If you’re the one they turn to when something is bothering them, this is your opportunity to be that person!
Should You Vent to Partners?
When you get bad news, is it your first instinct to call your partner? Husbands, wives, boyfriends, and girlfriends can be a great source of comfort. Plus, you can use them as a reality check to get another person’s perspective on what’s happening.
However, just because your closest companions are the people who know you best doesn’t mean they should be the only person you vent to. Be careful not to overload loved ones with too much pressure, or they may start to pull away.
Asking for support is excellent; over-saturating someone with negativity isn’t healthy and could cause problems. Bad news can be depressing. But it doesn’t have to ruin your life completely! If you need more help than your loved ones can or should provide, try reaching out to a professional.
Handling PR Concerns
Next, consider the advice you’ll be getting from a loved one. If you’re having difficulty at work, like a PR nightmare, your partner could help with the emotional side of things. However, they won’t be great at creating a solution or strategy.
After venting to someone you trust, you could to services like a crisis communications agency Miller Ink. After all, when it comes time to take action, you’ll need insights from professionals, who know what to do.
When to See a Therapist
When is it time to see a therapist? Whether you’re going through a crisis or your life just isn’t feeling quite right anymore, sometimes it can be helpful to seek out professional help.
We all have challenges in our lives, and sometimes we need an objective third party to help us get through them more easily. Therapy doesn’t have to be scary! Many people find that it’s enjoyable.
There are different types of therapy you can attend. For instance, CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, can help you uncover your thought patterns and challenge them. If you tend to have a negative outlook on things, CBT could be helpful.
In other cases, people need someone to talk to. That’s where counseling comes in! There are so many different psychotherapies out there that it’s often difficult to know which one is right for you. If you’re still unsure, the best thing to do would be to schedule a free consultation with a counselor and take it from there!
Affording Help
Are you worried you won’t be able to afford a therapist? You needn’t be. There are so many options, such as low-cost clinics, free clinics, and even online counselors.
Don’t worry about the cost! It’s usually better to get professional help than not to at all. Your employer may even help you find a therapist or counselor who can work with you and your schedule. Ask! Again, the worst thing that will happen is they say no.
Next, check with your insurance to see if they cover therapy. If so, start shopping around and find a counselor you feel comfortable with!
Talking to somebody when you’re going through a crisis will do wonders for your mental health. Bad news doesn’t have to be bad news – it can be good news in disguise! By working through your feelings and talking about
Crisis Communication for Global Unrest
Talking to professionals well versed in crisis communication isn’t just reserved for those having a tough time personally. If something is going on in the world that’s causing you distress, such as political turmoil or global unrest, professional help can still be beneficial.
Instead of a therapist, you could look for local support groups in your area. You don’t have to have an addiction or disease to qualify for support groups. There are so many diverse options, and you can even look for a phone or virtual meeting.
Do a quick search for the type of group you’d like to visit. For instance, try searching keywords like “grief support” or “financial stress support groups.” They often have websites that list the topics of every upcoming meeting, which is helpful if you want to get involved but aren’t sure where to start.
Do you feel like your emotions are all over the place? Perhaps you’d benefit from attending a free Emotions Anonymous meeting. Learn from others how they handle intense feelings, and embrace the power of community!
You can also ask family and friends if they’re a part of any group. You’d be surprised how many amazing people you’ve been missing out on knowing!
Make the Right Self Fulfilling Prophecies
Does this sound familiar? You receive bad news in the morning. Then throughout the rest of your day, everything seems to go wrong?
You spill coffee on yourself, you get stuck in traffic, and you’re pretty sure you lost a $20 bill. What gives?
Unfortunately, negativity attracts negativity. So instead of thinking, “Everything is going wrong,” remind yourself that this too shall pass.
You don’t have to be a positive person 24/7 – it’s okay to vent! However, it would help if you steered clear of negative words and phrases. If you’re trying to break the destructive luck cycle, look for as many alternatives as you can.
For example, instead of saying, “I am so tired of this,” try thinking, “I’m just exhausted.” As you say these phrases to yourself, remember that they become self-fulfilling prophecies!
If you tell yourself, “This week is going to be so hard,” guess what? It probably will be. But if you tell yourself, “This week, it will present opportunities to grow,” you’ll shift your mindset from weak to empowered.
Enjoy Some Me Time
When it comes down to it, we all have bad days sometimes. When life gets messy and complicated, taking some time for yourself can do wonders.
If finances are tight or time is limited, don’t worry. Me time can be as simple as journaling for mental health.
Another idea is to take a self-guided retreat. If you’re looking for somewhere closer, consider visiting the nearest art or history museum. You could also go online and buy yourself eBooks of your favorite novels or subscribe to some meditation channels on YouTube!
Take your mind off things without ignoring your feelings. By investing in self-care, you’ll be able to soothe your mind and your soul. Don’t be afraid to look inward for help – it’s there if you want it!
You’ll feel better as you feed your mind new sights and sounds, like the ones at museums or art exhibits. Take the focus off of yourself while also treating yourself to things that bring you joy. It can be as simple as reading a book that you enjoy for a couple of hours instead of watching television or scrolling social media.
When you receive bad news, isolate, and withdraw, disaster follows. Every day of self-neglect builds up until you have a significant emotional problem on your hands. Not to mention the toll it takes on your physical health.
Resist the urge to hermit away when you hear bad news. Instead, get out into the public in some way. Even if you sit on a park bench and admire nature for a little bit, you’ll be putting yourself on the right path!
Avoid Policing Your Mind
Lastly, be kind to your mind after receiving bad news. Try to avoid policing your thoughts too much. If you’re constantly telling yourself, “I can’t think like this” or “I need to stop thinking like this,” it’ll cause more problems than anything else.
If your thoughts turn dark, try not to freak out. Remind yourself that no one is perfect, and everyone has bad days sometimes.
Automatic negative thoughts happen, even if you try to stop them. The best thing you can do is refocus. Say something kind to yourself. Listen to a happy song. Call that friend you love to talk to. Whatever it is, be kind to your mind!
Growing and Communicating in a Crisis
Bad news is all around us, but it doesn’t have to get the best of us. When you feel like giving up, fight back with some self-care! Use the crisis communication tips you just learned to take the focus off yourself and do something that makes you happy.
Be patient with your mind, and remember that no one is perfect. By taking care of yourself, you’ll be able to deal with your bad news in a way that helps you grow.
Are you ready for more tips? Check out what the rest of this site has to offer.