You never know when a challenge will come along. You never want to face adverse situations that develop from these challenges. Unfortunately, challenges can show up at any point in our lives. Whether there is a solution that makes sense or not, there is a silver lining – you can learn from the experience. That is if you are willing to be open and present to what is in front of you. Being present is easier said than done. It requires facing your truth and navigating through all the feelings that come up.
Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.
–Harriet Tubman
The more difficult the challenge, the more it tests your will to persevere. In so many cases, it is in your ability to persevere that strength comes. Breakthrough happens in those moments when a solution seems impossible. You learn so much about yourself including how you navigate through change. Moving through the challenge starts with a choice. You can sit and wallow in your pain continuing to ask yourself why or you can choose to look for the lessons in it. In every situation I’ve been in, I have found that when I look for the lesson, the solution follows.
3 Valuable Lessons Learned
1. When in doubt, tuning in works. Whether that is prayer, meditation or just sitting in silence, those are the moments where answers seem to come. I remember choosing to sit in silence, praying, meditating and doing simple breathing exercises each time chaos ensued in my life. Depending on what was happening, I would feel my heart racing and my blood pressure rising. By trial and error, after a few close calls, including surviving a stroke, I learned that a few minutes of calm and silence makes a huge difference. Embracing this lesson was not easy. It took some time to get there. What counts the most is simply starting and trusting that committing to tuning in will take you to where you need to be.
2. Dealing with adversity is an opportunity to reassess your priorities. Adversity brings you present to what is truly important in your life. What is not serving you becomes crystal clear. There are aspects in your life that you may have allowed to take up space until now. For example, you may think your job is the most important aspect of your life. Then, you face your adverse situation and realize that your family and friends are much more important. You can always find a new job. That is exactly what I told myself one day when I was laid off from a job I considered to be my life. Instead of being able to immediately jump to the next opportunity, I found myself heartbroken. Why? I worked my way up to the top and operated as if the job was my only identity. I realized in those few months that it was time reassess and really look at who I truly am and what it truly important in my life. Finding my truth helped me re-discover myself and follow my heart.
3. As part of the process, you are going to meet new people. These people may be key in helping you through your situation. Adversity has a way of bringing people together. You may just find a circle of friends that you truly resonate with. I personally am grateful for the beautiful beings that have come across my path. Whether it is a good or bad experience, there is a lesson in all of it. On the flip side, you may have to deal with others who don’t agree with you. This allows you to learn about how others approach a situation and gives you a different perspective. You don’t have to agree or even consider views from others especially if it does not resonate with you. Learning about others motivations can also help you be a force in terms of standing your ground. In some cases, it might just light up the fire you need to push through your situation.
You will learn that change is the one aspect of life you can depend on most. People have a difficult time accepting change. The issue is that change continually happens. When you find yourself in a situation where you have no choice but to deal with something, you will accept the change. If you don’t, the problem may not correct itself. You will become miserable by not allowing change to occur.
Always seek the opportunities that may exist from your situation. You may find that you are good at something you hadn’t realized or find a lesson that would prove invaluable. It may be difficult to think in this capacity when you are dealing with a challenge in the moment. When that time comes, give yourself a moment to breathe and sit with it. Then pursue the process of recognizing the opportunities.
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