Things don’t go wrong and break your heart so you can become bitter and give up. They happen to break you down and build you up so you can be all that you were intended to be.
– Samuel Johnson
We need friction; without it, many things would cease as we know them; rubbing two sticks together would not create fire, nor would applying brakes stop a vehicle. Yet, like many people, I wouldn’t say I like friction.
Nevertheless, I understand I have a choice when it does arise. We always have a choice: embrace it or let it chafe us. Personal growth comes at a cost. Seeking the easy street when faced with challenges usually does not produce results. We need friction to grow; seeking support from those who agree with us robs us of the growth we gain by being with those who don’t.
Self-growth results from self-discovery as we learn to adopt new mindsets. Friction is only bad if we think it is. Society has contributed towards an attitude of convenience; consequently, we have become less adaptable when things appear difficult or conflict shadows our lives.
We have become accustomed to immediate gratification. There is a perceived inconvenience when things don’t go as expected, yet, no being is born, exclaiming that’s not what I expected. The very beginning of life is traumatic. The process of birth sets our ability in motion to strive past difficulties. A surge of stress hormones is released through the birth canal, fortifying the infant for life. For animals who lay eggs, pecking through the eggshell is crucial to being hatched, making them strong, and the seeds of plants penetrate the shell and then force their way up through the earth. In Scandinavian countries, babies are swaddled in fur and placed outside for naps, even in the winter; they believe this makes them strong.
Growth occurs when we acknowledge we can navigate what is presented to us. Change how you look at the situation, and the status will change, or if you want to change but change nothing, nothing changes. Our mindset designs the fabric of our lives; regardless of what is presented, how we view it determines how we respond.
I am personally obsessed with documentaries about survival. Expeditions to Everest or any challenging experience from Formula One to Adventure racing, you name it, if it is about the challenge of the human spirit, I love it.
Why one succeeds and another doesn’t often come down to the power of our minds. By understanding that we possess within ourselves, the power of perseverance, courage, patience, desire, and believing in ourselves, we can achieve anything—those who have those attitudes never give up.
While we may not rid ourselves of fears and anxiety, learning to view life’s challenges with a new perspective may allow us to live side by side with those feelings. Doubt may creep in, but we are okay if we know where to put it. When I competed with horses, fear always sat on my shoulder. I could not rid myself of it, yet I did not allow it to block my path or slow my course. The deciding factor of success is that our visualization of success outweighs the desire to give up.
Tenacity is at the core of finding our courage, and it is paramount to understanding the power of pushing through difficulties. The joys that come are worth every moment of strife, so take a deep breath, remember your goal, and move forward through anything that comes your way; know each step is a lesson learned on life’s journey. Bravo! Then pat yourself on the back and gear up for the next one.
History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats.”
– B.C. Forbes
