7 tips from Edith Eger to support yourself in difficult times

Edith Eger is not just an American psychologist, but an amazing woman who went through the terrible trials of a concentration camp but managed to keep her spirit strong. She ended up in Auschwitz as a teenager and lost both her parents there. Not only did the experience not break her, but Edith Eger found the inner light to help others. She devoted a lot of time to providing psychological assistance to veterans, military personnel, and other people who had experienced severe physical and emotional trauma. Her books Choice and Gift are practical guides to help you take care of your mental health and heal your soul. The following tips from the psychologist can be helpful, especially in difficult moments of life:

1. Live in the present, remembering the past. According to Edith Eger, the most important thing in life is not to fall into the trap of your own mind. “If I constantly returned to the horrors I had experienced in my mind, I would still feel like a prisoner,” the psychologist says. “Of course, sometimes the sound of a siren or the sight of barbed wire plunges me into painful memories. But when I come back to reality, I feel even happier because I am here now, not there. I live in the present, not exhausting myself with thoughts of what I could have changed in the past. Of course, I would like to change a lot of things, but I realize that I am not able to influence events that have already happened. But I can decide the course of my present life based on my experience.”

2. We are not always able to change the world around us, but we can influence our inner world. This thought helped Edith Eger not to lose heart while surviving in Auschwitz. When you can’t control anything in the outside world, it is especially important to be able to control the world inside us. “I managed to find peace in my inner world, which I did not allow anyone to disturb,” says Edith Eger.

3. Let hope always live in your heart. Even in the most difficult times, believe that this is a temporary period. Hope is not a white paint to mask your suffering. Hope is a manifestation of interest in life, a curious “What happens next?” Edith Eger says: “At some point, I just realized that if I gave up now, I would never see my future.”

4. Believe in yourself. Mistakes are inevitable in life. There are no perfect people, and you should not strive to be perfect in everything. Believe in yourself for who you are. Feel that you are a complete person. Tell yourself not “I will try” but “I can”.

5. To love yourself is to take care of yourself. For some reason, self-love is often interpreted as a negative character trait – selfishness. However, Edith Eger emphasizes that without self-love, one cannot cope with the complexities of life. The phrase “I love you” said to yourself gives you confidence in your own abilities and that everything will be fine.

6. Only you know how much you are hurting. Realizing that Edith Eger went through the horrors of Auschwitz, some of her patients are embarrassed when expressing their life’s troubles. However, the psychologist herself says that there is no hierarchy in suffering. The pain you feel cannot be less or more than what others feel. These are your emotions and experiences, and only you know the depth of your own suffering. If you underestimate your pain, you will not be able to find the right ways to overcome it. Do not judge yourself, but look for solutions. Edith Eger said: “I don’t want you to compare my suffering to yours in any way. I told you my life story so that it would give you an idea: “If Edith can do it, I can do it.”

7. There are gifts of fate. Yes, there are obstacles on the path of life, but there are also many wonderful gifts. Life itself is a valuable gift. Edith Eger said: “It is up to us to decide whether we spend our time complaining and blaming or recognizing that we are given obstacles for a reason.” The psychologist emphasizes that what happens to us in life is not as important as what we do with it. Focus not on what you have lost, but on what you still have. Live consciously, with joy, inspiration and love.