The Bridge To A Better Life Approach

This is an approach followed by many people who want to move on from their present situation. They may aim to cross the bridge towards a better life.

Different people do this in different situations. They may feel lonely, face difficult challenges or not know the best way forwards. Let’s look at some examples.

They May Be:

A young person who wants to work rather than live off benefits … A prisoner who has been released and wants to go straight.

 An athlete who has retired and wants to find a new purpose … A former addict who wants to live a healthy life.

A patient released from psychiatric hospital who feels lost in the world …  A middle-aged person who has been made redundant and cannot find a job.

Some people who experience these challenges take control and cross the bridge to shaping their futures. Some may need help to take this approach. Let’s explore these themes.

Some People May Be Able
To Build Their Own Bridge

Some individuals may be good at taking initiatives in their life. They may have an internal locus of control and say: “I can make things happen.” They may be able to build on their own bridge to shaping their future.

Such a person may have a certain approach to dealing with setbacks. They may take a short time to reflect about what has happened. They may then mobilise their efforts and move into action.

They may start by managing any short term issues. They may aim: a) to manage their feelings; b) to fix any immediate problems; c) to, if necessary, find ways to manage their finances.

They may then move on to crossing the bridge towards shaping their future. They may aim: a) to clarify their specific goals; b) to clarify the strategies they can follow; c) to clarify their action plan for achieving these goals.

Such a person may then follow certain daily routines – such as following good habits. They may do this when taking care of their health, looking for a job or working towards another goal.

They may also recognise that this could be a marathon rather than a sprint. They may therefore aim: a) to get some early successes; b) to follow the good habits; c) to encourage themselves on the journey.

They may be quite self-managing, but there may also explore ways to get support. They may do this by getting encouragement from certain people and stimulating ideas from various sources.

Such a person may also do things that give them positive energy. They may find that this can give them strength on the way towards achieving their personal or professional goals.

Some People May Need Help By
Being Provided With A Bridge

Some individuals may be more institutionalised in their lives or work. They may actually be coming from institutions such as prisons, psychiatric or other places. They may then find it hard to thrive in the modern world.

Some may be semi-institutionalised in another sense. They may have believed that working in a big company provided them with a job for life. They may then experience difficulties when aiming to find a job in the new world of work.

Some retiring footballers experience similar challenges. They may have focused on a clear purpose whilst their clubs took care of practical things in their lives. They may find it hard to navigate what for them may be a new world.

Such individuals may need help by being provided with a bridge towards a new or even better life. Such a bridge can come in many forms. Let’s look at some examples.

A person who is recovering from substance abuse may get support from self-help groups, counsellors or buddies. They may also follow principles outlined in certain credos or books that enable them to work towards a better life.

A person recovering from an illness or trauma may get help from supportive people. They may need such practical support to regain their physical or psychological health on the way towards shaping their future.

A person who is semi-institutionalised and looking for a job may get help from supportive career coaches. Such coaches may also need to be savvy, however, and know what is required in the new world of work.

Some People May Cross
The Bridge To A Better Life

Some people cross the bridge to what, for them, may be a better life. Some may do this by charting their own path. Some may do it with guidance from other people.

Such individuals may follow this habit and continue to develop in their personal or professional lives.  Different people may, however, have different views about what they see as development or progress.

One person may see progress as being able to follow and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Another person may see progress as being better at following their spiritual faith.

One person may see progress as improving their ability to help other people to succeed. Another person may see progress as continuing to get successes on the way towards achieving their life goals.

One person may see progress as having a sense of contentment and giving to other people in their life. Another person may see progress as focusing on continuous improvement in their personal or professional life.

Some people may find it more challenging to cross the bridge to what they see as a better life. Some may fall back into negative addictions or institutionalised behaviour.

Some may choose to try again and take ownership for shaping their future. They may need lots of specialised support, however, to cross the bridge to achieve their picture of success.

Let’s return to your own life. Can you think of a situation where you may want to follow elements of the bridge to a better life approach? This could be in your personal or professional life.

If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.