Hey, remember that time you were pitched a curve ball and were absolutely certain you were going to strike out? But you gave it your best swing, overcame the adversity before you, and ran around the bases, celebrating the success you just endured. It took some time, it took some thought, and it took some persistence, but you did it. You made it. It took a few times to learn from the previous strikeouts, but you overcame what was before you. I like to believe that will continue to happen within our lifetimes. There is no distinct amount of time that these struggles will last, but at least we know that amidst them we are growing, even when we feel defeated.
If life was easy to navigate, we would be boring people. We would not understand the exhilaration of working through a struggle, nor would we be able to look at ourselves in the mirror and reflect on how much we've changed for the better. We get stuck in ruts and have two choices: keep ourselves down and out and question why this is happening or dust ourselves off and trust that life has this plan for us.
Sometimes when you're struggling so much, the most peaceful part of your day is that split second when you wake up in the morning. You have absolutely no recollection as to what was bumming you out, making you sad, or causing you to struggle. When that split second of reality hits and our thoughts rush back to the forefronts of our minds, sometimes we slip back into that struggle. I let it sit there for a few minutes. I reflect on what it is that has happened, what it is that has me feeling whatever way and I choose to move forward.
It's easier said than done, trust me, but you have the power to change your mindset around. You must remind yourself that life is not going to throw you challenges that you cannot handle. Life is always testing your strength, making you question your abilities, and allowing you to grow. When you achieve that confidence in yourself, you not only hope for things to get better, but you act on them in a way that life is bound to get better. You pick yourself up and move forward; sometimes you even crawl if you have to. Some days it rains, and when it rains, it pours. Life just unfolds a ton of bricks on your shoulders and you're left to figure out how to handle it. You are capable. Even in the most difficult of times, you are being tested and you will overcome.
The second we start believing in this notion and ourselves, the second we will stop harping on what's causing us so much heartache or struggle. We may be deemed the optimist, but what's so wrong with that? Optimists are not immune to emotion, to feelings; they simply cope with them and filter out the negativity. They use that negativity to push them to positivity, to happiness, to a peace of mind. We've all doubted ourselves, but this time, I challenge you to see your worth, to see your fight, and keep chugging along. Life knows you are capable, so why don't you?
