Hey there! I want to chat about a topic we've all had a dance with – adversity. You know, that unwelcome guest that crashes the party when everything seems to be going great? Yeah, that one. But here's the kicker – adversity might be the best (albeit most challenging) thing that ever happened to us. Buckle up, grab a cup of coffee, glass of wine, water, or your drink of choice because I'm about to get real. Let's dive into my rollercoaster ride of overcoming life's curveballs, shall we?
In January 2019 I had experienced one of the worst weeks of my life, the deaths of two people that I was close to. One being my cousin that grew up across the street with me and the other being my father. I was newly divorced and trying to put back the pieces of my life when the unthinkable happened. After hearing about my cousins death I really didn't know what to do, I didn't know how to feel. So I went on Facebook like most of us do when we need a distraction and I put up a quote on grief, it stated
"Grief is like the ocean; it comes in waves, ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim"
A very good friend of mine commented under the post. She said "Swim Day,,,,swim" Shortly after that I learned that my father had passed away.
In that moment and the weeks that followed, I didn't know how I was going to recover. I mean I was just starting to feel normal again after going through a divorce and now this?
But isn't that what adversity really is? It's not just spilled coffee on your freshly ironed shirt or a getting stuck in traffic when you're already running late. Adversity is like life's pop quiz – unexpected, sometimes downright annoying, sometimes devastating but undeniably a part of the journey.
I thought 2019 was bad but let's not even get started on 2020; that year was like a masterclass in overcoming adversity for all of us.
But here's the thing I've learned – adversity is not the end of the road; it's the detour that leads to unexpected places. When life throws a curveball, it's not about dodging it but learning how to swing back. Trust me; it's a skill worth mastering.
One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that resilience is not some mystical trait possessed by superheroes. Nope, it's something we all have within us. It's that inner voice that says, "Hey, you got this!" Resilience is the muscle we build every time life throws us a challenge, and we decide to stand up and face it.
Perspective is another game-changer. When you start looking at adversity as a chance to grow rather than a roadblock, magic happens. Suddenly, setbacks become setups for comebacks. (Hello! header quote on my website) It's like flipping a switch in your mind from 'Oh no, not again' to 'Alright, let's see what we can learn from this.' In my case I learned that I was a whole lot stronger than I ever thought I was. People told me I was strong my whole life but I never really believed it until that moment. I came out of that experience knowing that if I could come out of that which my mental, physical, and spiritual health in tact, then I could survive anything.
Overcoming adversity is also about shaking hands with fear and then showing it the door. Fear loves to hang around during tough times, whispering doubts and worries. But guess what? You have the power to kick fear out and replace it with courage. It's not about having no fear; it's about doing it scared.
And let's not forget the unsung heroes – inspirational stories of other people who like myself have faced adversity and come out on top. Seriously, nothing inspires me more than reading about someone who turned their 'worst day ever' into a stepping stone for success. Those stories are like the secret sauce that adds spice to our own journey.
So, my friends, here's the bottom line – adversity is not the end; it's a wild ride. Embrace it, learn from it, and when life throws lemons at you, make the darn lemonade. Because in the end, it's not about avoiding the storms; it's about learning to dance in the rain and swim in rough waters. So keep swimming. Keep riding those waves, and remember – you're more resilient than you think.