Overcoming Your Challenges
Strength in Adversity
Have you noticed how often your circumstances impact deeply on your peace of mind? All it takes is a tough day or a disagreement and you suddenly feel unbalanced, deflated and discouraged. All your enthusiasm flies out of the window. And when the problems accumulate, life can feel distinctly overwhelming. Does that sound familiar to you? After all, it’s always easy to be at ease when things are going well. It’s not too difficult to feel confident and in control of your life when there aren’t any serious challenges to your plans. No. The real challenges to our peace of mind show up when adversity strikes and that’s when you can feel vulnerable and unable to cope with the pressures.
However, it’s very helpful to remember that you’re not the first person to feel this way. Far from it.
Adversity has the same effect on a man that severe training has on the pugilist: it reduces him to his fighting weight.
– Josh Billings
History is full of extraordinary accounts of people facing impossible odds, individuals who refused to quit and who struggled against the setbacks and challenges and eventually overcame the defeats to achieve success and fulfil their goals. Sometimes, it can be very instructive to consider the lives of famous men and women who are not always known for their courage and determination in the face of adversity. But this is where we can draw inspiration.
There are countless examples of people with extreme disabilities who refused to be limited by their physical handicaps. It’s a very sobering experience to acknowledge the strength and resilience of the human spirit in individuals who don’t enjoy our physical advantages. It’s a very effective way to neutralise all our excuses and eliminate any traces of self-pity that might be interfering with our efforts to rise above our difficulties. When we witness the achievements of people who’ve struggled with missing limbs, inoperative senses and impaired faculties, our excuses evaporate. We have nowhere to hide from our abilities and advantages. We have to confront the inescapable fact that the only thing that’s really holding us back is our attitude.
The most beautiful people I’ve known are those who have known trials, have known struggles, have known loss, and have found their way out of the depths.
– Elizabeth Kübler-Ross
These are the kind of examples that can shock us out of our complacency. It can be a deeply humbling experience to spend time with people who are capable of inspiring us with their tenacity and determination. Their examples encourage us to renew our sense of gratitude for everything we’ve been taking for granted. Their ability to overcome adversity puts our problems into a much clearer context.
Even famous philosophers who have bequeathed to the world the fruits of their priceless wisdom often endured extreme hardships, persecution and privation. Their ability to rise above these difficulties and maintain their equanimity, whilst continuing to teach and encourage their disciples to make the world a better place, can serve as a great reminder that everyone has their burdens to bear.
We don’t develop courage by being happy every day. We develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity.
– Barbara De Angelis
More people are struggling today than you might realise. In the midst of your challenges, it’s easy to forget that you’re not the only one who’s suffering. Challenges come in a myriad of forms, each one seemingly designed to target us where we feel most vulnerable. That’s the nature of challenges. They always hit us where we fear to be struck.
One way of confronting the difficulties, therefore, is to seek inspiration from the examples of others. As you learn to appreciate that you’re not the first person to feel the painful sting of defeat or taste the bitterness of failure, you learn that you’re also capable of rising again and renewing your efforts. Others have done so before you. Others are picking themselves up right now and shrugging off the setbacks. So can you.
Damaged people are dangerous. They know they can survive.
— Josephine Hart
The moment you turn your heart towards the goals you’ve chosen for yourself, pledging to overcome any obstacle that shows up, you discover a deeper strength within yourself. It’s a moment of truth that builds your confidence and offers you an unmistakable reminder that you’re much stronger than you originally thought. Yes, you will certainly face new difficulties in the future. But your willingness and ability to overcome the problems that are facing you now will ensure that you won’t feel overwhelmed by these kinds of challenges again. You’ve demonstrated your power to rise above them and this is the foundation of greater personal strength, will and fortitude in the face of adversity.
The turning point in the process of growing up is when you discover the core of strength within you that survives all hurt.
- Max Lerner
One of the less obvious approaches to dealing with your personal difficulties is to take some time out to help someone in need. It’s truly remarkable how helpful it is to turn your attention away from yourself for a while and see life through someone else’s eyes. The change in perspective often provides a very healthy alternative that allows you to consider your own circumstances in a clearer light.
Ultimately, everyone wants an easier, simpler and safer life. But, when you consider our history as a species, humans have largely flourished and prospered in the face of adversity. It’s the raw material of our creativity. It’s the hard, implacable grindstone that sharpens our will and determination. Find the strength that lies within you and rise up with a fierce determination to overcome any limitation that tries to inhibit your progress. You might just be surprised at how powerful you really are.
And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm is all about.
—Haruki Murakami
Are you ready for a completely fresh approach to life’s great adventure? Get in touch with us today for a free session to discover how the growing global movement for personal growth, success, change and empowerment can enhance your life. It’s fun and it’s surprisingly effective. Perhaps it’s time for you to discover how you can enjoy your life on a whole new level of happiness and wellbeing.
Greg Parry created The Wellness Foundation and the Cognitive Empowerment Programs specifically to help people master their stress, overcome their limitations and explore the power of their true potential.
If you enjoy these blogs, you can imagine how much fun it is to have Greg in the room as an inspirational and highly perceptive speaker. If you’d like to invite Greg to talk to your company or organisation or event, feel free to get in touch.
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