“Life's challenges can either make you or break you. Let them make you". Billy Cox
I wrote in a prior blog post that enjoying the journey of Life entails several things including,"...dealing with obstacles, struggles, challenges, losses and curve balls as they come but not letting them keep us down..."
Back in April of 2018, when I started my blog post and wrote those words, when I was getting my new business project Vida805 off the ground and was getting ready to self-publish my book, my Life changed drastically. That's an understatement, it was more like a major curve ball came my way. I was truly blindsided by Life's circumstances. I am not sure if I am ready to process all of what happened and how it has affected my life and the lives of so many other people. Not because I am not ready to disclose the details, I have been open about it (there was no way not to be) with family, friends and acquaintances but more so because I am still processing it all and I would probably end up writing a book instead of a blog post. Suffice it to say that I had been in despair and overwhelm before in my Life. However, this "incident" in early May 2018 was a completely different and unique sense of despair and overwhelm as it was also coupled with feelings of grief, shame, guilt and loss of self-confidence which culminated, in a deep pain that I have never felt before in my Life.
As a social worker and counselor for over 20 years, I have worked with and seen many people whose Life's challenges had been able to break them. Our society is marked by so many people whose spirits, hearts and lives are broken. I often felt deep sadness and compassion for these people and often wondered how they had allowed themselves to get so defeated. Well, in the midst of my pain and sorrow, I found the answer and was able not only to see but also experience how easily that could happen. Many times in the months following May, I was only "inches" (if it could be measured) away from letting what happened in my Life, break me. I know without a shadow of doubt that all the "knowledge" and "tools" I have acquired in my 20+ years of studying and most importantly "applying" personal development is the reason that this most recent Life challenge not only did not break me but it made me a better, stronger and more powerful version of myself. Because it didn't break me doesn't mean I didn't get knocked down to my knees. Actually, I still don't know if I am standing on solid feet (or ground) but I do know I am up from my knees. And, I don't mean powerful from the point of outside appearances but from the true power that lies within.
A teacher I listen to often (understatement...more like daily) says that when the "rubber hits the road" we either believe this "stuff" (aka knowledge and tools) work or they don't. I knew before they did however, it was validated once again after this "incident" that learning, growing and going outside our routine lives and comfort zones can be a key to "dealing with obstacles, struggles, challenges, losses and curve balls as they come but not letting them keep us down". Or put a different way it can be the key to not letting Life's challenges break us and instead make us.
I share this for no other reason then to encourage you to read, to learn, to study the knowledge that will help us grow and access the power that is within all of us. I know it is often easy to feel that it is too much work or it's too late in our lives, given our age, our current circumstances and/or prior mistakes/decisions but please believe me when I say that it is never too late to start. Most of us will be living to age 90-100, so we have time.
There are many paths and ways. Just pick up any book or watch any interview on one of my favorite You Tube channels, Impact Theory, that calls to you. Start learning and most importantly applying what you learn (yes that means doing any exercises called for). Start if you'd like with the suggested learning on my personal website www.vidaconsultingservices.com
Make 2019 the year you step into your true power and greatness and of course, enjoy the journey of Life!
Back in April of 2018, when I started my blog post and wrote those words, when I was getting my new business project Vida805 off the ground and was getting ready to self-publish my book, my Life changed drastically. That's an understatement, it was more like a major curve ball came my way. I was truly blindsided by Life's circumstances. I am not sure if I am ready to process all of what happened and how it has affected my life and the lives of so many other people. Not because I am not ready to disclose the details, I have been open about it (there was no way not to be) with family, friends and acquaintances but more so because I am still processing it all and I would probably end up writing a book instead of a blog post. Suffice it to say that I had been in despair and overwhelm before in my Life. However, this "incident" in early May 2018 was a completely different and unique sense of despair and overwhelm as it was also coupled with feelings of grief, shame, guilt and loss of self-confidence which culminated, in a deep pain that I have never felt before in my Life.
As a social worker and counselor for over 20 years, I have worked with and seen many people whose Life's challenges had been able to break them. Our society is marked by so many people whose spirits, hearts and lives are broken. I often felt deep sadness and compassion for these people and often wondered how they had allowed themselves to get so defeated. Well, in the midst of my pain and sorrow, I found the answer and was able not only to see but also experience how easily that could happen. Many times in the months following May, I was only "inches" (if it could be measured) away from letting what happened in my Life, break me. I know without a shadow of doubt that all the "knowledge" and "tools" I have acquired in my 20+ years of studying and most importantly "applying" personal development is the reason that this most recent Life challenge not only did not break me but it made me a better, stronger and more powerful version of myself. Because it didn't break me doesn't mean I didn't get knocked down to my knees. Actually, I still don't know if I am standing on solid feet (or ground) but I do know I am up from my knees. And, I don't mean powerful from the point of outside appearances but from the true power that lies within.
A teacher I listen to often (understatement...more like daily) says that when the "rubber hits the road" we either believe this "stuff" (aka knowledge and tools) work or they don't. I knew before they did however, it was validated once again after this "incident" that learning, growing and going outside our routine lives and comfort zones can be a key to "dealing with obstacles, struggles, challenges, losses and curve balls as they come but not letting them keep us down". Or put a different way it can be the key to not letting Life's challenges break us and instead make us.
I share this for no other reason then to encourage you to read, to learn, to study the knowledge that will help us grow and access the power that is within all of us. I know it is often easy to feel that it is too much work or it's too late in our lives, given our age, our current circumstances and/or prior mistakes/decisions but please believe me when I say that it is never too late to start. Most of us will be living to age 90-100, so we have time.There are many paths and ways. Just pick up any book or watch any interview on one of my favorite You Tube channels, Impact Theory, that calls to you. Start learning and most importantly applying what you learn (yes that means doing any exercises called for). Start if you'd like with the suggested learning on my personal website www.vidaconsultingservices.com
Make 2019 the year you step into your true power and greatness and of course, enjoy the journey of Life!
Thank you for sharing your story with us. I was very touched and so very happy to know you hold that key to enjoying the journey of life no matter the obstacles. I look forward to your upcoming workshop & look forward to the happiness of finding that "key" and be able to enjoy my own journey. Thank you for the inspiration.
ReplyDeleteThank you, it will be an honor to help you in your journey.
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