I had a thought I wanted to share regarding our life challenges. This came after a friend of mine pretty told me that they feel like they suck and won't be able to do anything in life.
There are people that have more serious problems, yes, but we get off on the wrong thought process by comparing ourselves to other people. Some people here have been able to kick the addiction in the butt what seems right away, and others seem to struggle more. Why is that? Is it because some have stronger will power than others or could it be that some are more vocal? Whatever the answer my thought is that a struggle is a struggle, but the attitude with which we face the struggle is the difference. Here is what I told my friend:
This year I hit something in my life that I thought I would never: emotional rock bottom. I made a decision that I know is meant to improve me, but it wasn't easy. I know how hard it feels to follow ones dream and how frustrating it gets when one thinks they are moving forward only to feel like they are starting over again, but what one really has to ask themselves is who was I 10 years ago and would I be able to manage the challenges I face today the same way 10 years ago?
What happens is we focus too much on where we are going rather than where we are and the storms we have gone through to get to where we are. Ten years ago I did not have the maturity I have today. 10 years ago I may have fallen apart with the challenges I face today. 10 years ago I did not have the strength I have today to understand that the most important part is not the destination but the journey itself. It's through the journey that we are polished, the journey gives us the best stories, the journey gives us the ability to help others when they face similar struggles. Maybe I don't see it now, but every bit of effort I put in today will be a success tomorrow. I know that because every bit of effort I put in the past 10 years, (even the ones that seemed like a waste) are benefitting me now and helping me to get to the next phase.
You are going to feel like you suck, like these are the worst two years of your life, but in reality you are just going through the fire to prepare you for something bigger. If you can combine your faith and trust in God, be resilient and not give up now a few years from today you will be able to understand why you are going through what you are going through now and you will be grateful.
It sounds crazy, but trust me on this one, this is part of a plan that is meant to bring you closer to your destination. And just keep in mind that life is a series of roller coasters, so it is an ongoing bumpy ride of successes and failures, but the better you get at handling your failures the more successful you will be.
Wisdom is applying the tools one learns when going through the failure process. It's not that necessarily someone has it down better than another person, and although I have had many upsets even throughout my reboot and moments of despair, I choose to focus on the positive which is what I mostly try to share here. We are all here for different reasons, but no matter the motivation it's our attitude as we go through the rough patches that will make the difference.
I also wanted to say that sometimes tough love is needed. I feel fortunate to have been supported through this process but know I need help to get through some of the more challenging aspects. If we have a relapse once or twice, we shouldn't focus all our energy and efforts in punishing ourselves for it happening, but if we are constantly having relapses then there is a side of us that is not really doing what we need to do to get better.
I rarely use this word, but don't be stupid, ask for help, get some help. I say this as someone who thought she could do this on her own for many years and kept on failing. I learned to swallow my pride, and confront my fears. It's an ongoing process. I can do this, you can do this, we can do this, but we need to actively do something about it. Stop making excuses.
There are people that have more serious problems, yes, but we get off on the wrong thought process by comparing ourselves to other people. Some people here have been able to kick the addiction in the butt what seems right away, and others seem to struggle more. Why is that? Is it because some have stronger will power than others or could it be that some are more vocal? Whatever the answer my thought is that a struggle is a struggle, but the attitude with which we face the struggle is the difference. Here is what I told my friend:
This year I hit something in my life that I thought I would never: emotional rock bottom. I made a decision that I know is meant to improve me, but it wasn't easy. I know how hard it feels to follow ones dream and how frustrating it gets when one thinks they are moving forward only to feel like they are starting over again, but what one really has to ask themselves is who was I 10 years ago and would I be able to manage the challenges I face today the same way 10 years ago?
What happens is we focus too much on where we are going rather than where we are and the storms we have gone through to get to where we are. Ten years ago I did not have the maturity I have today. 10 years ago I may have fallen apart with the challenges I face today. 10 years ago I did not have the strength I have today to understand that the most important part is not the destination but the journey itself. It's through the journey that we are polished, the journey gives us the best stories, the journey gives us the ability to help others when they face similar struggles. Maybe I don't see it now, but every bit of effort I put in today will be a success tomorrow. I know that because every bit of effort I put in the past 10 years, (even the ones that seemed like a waste) are benefitting me now and helping me to get to the next phase.
You are going to feel like you suck, like these are the worst two years of your life, but in reality you are just going through the fire to prepare you for something bigger. If you can combine your faith and trust in God, be resilient and not give up now a few years from today you will be able to understand why you are going through what you are going through now and you will be grateful.
It sounds crazy, but trust me on this one, this is part of a plan that is meant to bring you closer to your destination. And just keep in mind that life is a series of roller coasters, so it is an ongoing bumpy ride of successes and failures, but the better you get at handling your failures the more successful you will be.
Wisdom is applying the tools one learns when going through the failure process. It's not that necessarily someone has it down better than another person, and although I have had many upsets even throughout my reboot and moments of despair, I choose to focus on the positive which is what I mostly try to share here. We are all here for different reasons, but no matter the motivation it's our attitude as we go through the rough patches that will make the difference.
I also wanted to say that sometimes tough love is needed. I feel fortunate to have been supported through this process but know I need help to get through some of the more challenging aspects. If we have a relapse once or twice, we shouldn't focus all our energy and efforts in punishing ourselves for it happening, but if we are constantly having relapses then there is a side of us that is not really doing what we need to do to get better.
I rarely use this word, but don't be stupid, ask for help, get some help. I say this as someone who thought she could do this on her own for many years and kept on failing. I learned to swallow my pride, and confront my fears. It's an ongoing process. I can do this, you can do this, we can do this, but we need to actively do something about it. Stop making excuses.