Built for Struggle

Often, life brings struggles that can leave lasting scars. Our bodies and spirits seem to be built for struggle, whether we like it or not. I think the trouble lies in our resistance; we try to avoid pain at all costs. This is natural and makes sense. However, pain and struggles are also natural parts of life (bummer, right?). We learn from struggles and they teach us lessons. Our deepest pain somehow imparts an even deeper inner wisdom, opening us up to future experiences.

Last month, I cut my finger slicing some bread. It was a pretty deep cut and it bled profusely, until it finally subsided. It was painful and I had to put antibacterial ointment and bandages on it for quite a while. The wound has since healed and is looking much better. It still needs some more time to heal completely, but it is on its way. I know there will always be a scar there now and perhaps it won’t feel quite the same as before. Much like my finger our life struggles leave lasting impressions, metaphoric scars.

The healing process went more quickly due to the care I took tending to my wound. I made sure that I put organic antibacterial on it to provide the best care. I made sure to protect the wound while it was still open by keeping it bandaged. Our daily struggles and bumps in the road need the same care.

Trials and tribulations bring about wounds that will eventually heal, much like my finger. How we learn to overcome and deal with these struggles determines the healing time and the pain during our healing process.

We can become bogged down in the turmoil of hardships, yet sometimes in the midst of struggle we can have our best breakthroughs, as well. Instead of fighting against the pain we need to examine it and care for it.

The wounds will fester and become bigger; if we don’t care for them in appropriate ways.

It is important to acknowledge our struggles and equally important to not give our struggles power. Your external struggles do not have power. I repeat do not. You have power. You are the transforming agent in your one beautiful life. The power is always within ourselves to transform situations, to transform ourselves. More than anything our ability to deal with adversity defines us.

I encourage you next time you are at a point of great struggle in your life to reframe it. Reframe it by looking at the situation carefully and taking time to care for the situation and yourself.  I’ve recently gone through some personal struggles and I found that these ways of reframing helped me.

-See the difficult situation as an opportunity instead of an obstacle. It could be an opportunity to try something new that you’ve never done before.

-Reach out to others. I think when people face struggle they often isolate themselves. This severely hampers and limits opportunities. Reaching out to others builds a web of security, support, and possibilities.

-Reflect on your current situation. You can look at it with renewed clarity and decide what you really want out of life. Is what you’re doing right now or the steps you are taking bringing you closer to your most fulfilled life or purpose? Perhaps, you need to take steps to go in a completely different direction.

-Give to others. It doesn’t take money to do this! I think many people have the false impression that it does. You can give your presence and time. It can take your mind off your current predicament and you can come back with a renewed perspective later. It is also another opportunity to form connections!

-Breathe. Whether it is meditation, yoga, or just taking a minute or two for some deep breathing. Breathing helps to create a more calm, controlled, and centered self.

Living ecstatically can be a challenge. Recognizing and reframing the hardships in your life can leave more room for a more joyous and peaceful experience. Our reaction to struggles is what ultimately defines us and our circumstances. How will you be defined?

I encourage you to share your struggles (big or small). How have you overcome or reframed them to make room for more joy?