When life kicks you, make it kick you forward. – Unknown Quote
When we’re faced with adversity, there are two questions we should always ask ourselves:
- Will I allow this adversity to make me bitter?
- Will I use this adversity to make me better?
One thing’s for certain , adversity will bring about a change in the individual and this change will fall under one of these two headings. Given the fact that few things are uglier than bitterness, I’m fairly certain we’d all want to answer “no!” to the first question and “yes!” to the second. However, living up to these answers is tougher than actually answering them.
One of the first things you can do when adversity strikes is to remind yourself that you are not an exception – life isn’t “picking” on you. Bad things happen to everyone – there’s no escaping them. They know where we live.
Never fall into the trap of chanting how unfair life is. This is often the first step toward bitterness and resentment, and its a place you should never want to visit, let alone spend the rest of your life living amongs its ruins.
Whether the adversity is a major loss, such as the death of a loved one or a the loss of a marriage, or a health issue that you are waging war against – prayer, talking to people who care, and allowing yourself time to heal are the three best pieces of advice anyone could ever offer you.
Even when adversities are closer to “minor” than “major,” they’re still bothersome enough to drive you half mad. Again, you have to determine if you’ll come through the adversity better or bitter – then you have to summon all the will-power and strength inside of you to take the right road….The Better road.
Keep the following tips in mind:
- Everyone has adversity. Even people who seem to live a charmed life face adversity. Some people (through extreme pride or extreme faith) simply don’t show it.
- Like any storm, adversity passes. Whether it leaves a rainbow or notable destruction is up to you.
- Sometimes a good cry can release tension and “stored” emotions. The trick is to know when to get back up, dry your eyes, slap a smile on your face and get on with the rest of your life.
- Keep reminding yourself that at the end of this particular trip, you will be better or bitter. Then choose your path carefully.
I love the quote about letting life kick you forward. Part of living is to encounter adversity. That’s just part of the process. The people who overcome it are the people who adopt the attitude of being ready for whatever adversity comes their way. You have to understand that you’re never given a challenge you can’t handle. Therefore you can handle every challenge you’re now facing, regardless of how tough or unpleasant. It is up to you though to find a way through!