When life punches you in the mouth

SOMETIMES LIFE HANDS YOU FLOWERS.

SOMETIMES LIFE PUNCHES YOU IN THE MOUTH.

It’s inevitable. If you live long enough, you become accustomed to coping with the ups and downs that come with being an imperfect human in a complex world. No one is truly in control. We might think we are. We might allow ourselves to be temporarily lulled into a false sense of security about the degree of power we hold, or the permanence of our positioning.

The truth will set you free, but first it’ll piss you off. The order of that sequence is inescapable. Realizing that experiencing both ends of the spectrum is inevitable liberates you from so many potentially detrimental or distracting emotions.

You don’t have to blame yourself when situations head south. You’re doing the best you can with the limited knowledge and inescapable imperfections that are characteristic of your life experiences thus far.

You didn’t control every single factor that led to the manifestation of your greatest successes. You built consistent habits and found a way to put yourself in position to win, but the universe had to allow those victories to become reality. Realizing this is simultaneously humbling and empowering.

"THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO TO ESCAPE HARDSHIP. WE DON’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT TO MANIFEST OUR WILDEST DREAMS."

I didn't earn every flower I've been handed. I didn't deserve every punch to the face that I've survived. Yet, here I am - still living, growing and learning. Truth is, I need both sides of the spectrum. 

I don’t pray for the absence of hardship anymore. It’s inescapable. I prepare myself to persevere, get knocked over, and get back up again. I recognize that my hardships have molded me into a better man. I recognize that I’m stronger than I was six months ago.

I know that I’ll get punched in the mouth again, and I’ll be ready to fight another round another day.