Pushing Through Tough Times And Difficult Obstacles

Written by: Anna Niemira

"Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word happy would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness." - Carl Jung

Dark, dangerous looking, stormy clouds overtake the sky. They forecast turbulent weather. We watch, and we accept the laws of nature. We go with the flow, understanding that if we want a rainbow, we have had to endure heavy rainfall and thunder. We welcome inclement conditions because we know there is always sunshine after rain. We expect light after darkness. Yet, it is difficult for us to apply the very same principals when the challenging events touch us on a personal level.

When it comes to facing adversities in our personal or professional life, we tend to react negatively. We might surrender to sorrow and get discouraged with our tasks and undertakings. Gone with the wind are our positive attitude and upbeat approach to life. We become impatient with struggles and hardships that come our way, viewing difficulties as our enemies. We might wish for an instant solution or a quick fix to eliminate our fear, discontent with the situation, and insecurities.

Yet, perhaps the key to life is to accept challenges, instead of avoiding them, and to recognize their silver lining. Possibly it is not so much about the difficulties one faces but meeting oneself in the face of such adversities.

A Man In The Mirror

"Adversity introduces a man to himself." - Albert Einstein

Who am I?  What are my virtues and values? What do I represent?

It is easy to have a presence and keep our head up when all goes smoothly, and we are on top of our game. We gather new acquaintances that want to be in our circles.  We feel the admiration of others that are looking for a closer association. We are the champions. We pat ourselves on the shoulders and feel love and respect. That's the way to go.

However, life is not constructed linearly. It has peaks and valleys. It contains joys and disappointments, winning and losing moments. It has a spectrum of bright and dark hues that paint our existence, and create our personality.

It is exactly in tough times that we discover our true colors and our real character.  When we paddle through rough waters, we gather our courage. We come across our full potential. We have a chance to build our mental strength and physical endurance, pushing our body and mind beyond our limits, advancing our intellect and developing our talents.

It is only natural to go through hardships.  It is neither a point of shame nor a defeat. It is a circle of life, a sign to further self-discovery, a chance to become better and stronger, mentally and physically. It is a signal to believe in us and have faith in our inner power.  When we go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is the strength and authentic character-building component. That is a self-love and self-respect process we are to appreciate and be thankful for.

Order Versus Chaos

"Start by doing what is necessary; then do what is possible, and suddenly you are doing what is impossible." - Francis of Assisi

Difficulties make us feel alive. With the right approach, they are a source of motivation. In sports, athletes thrive when they are under pressure. Challenges work as a natural boost of stamina. Yet, unexpected or prolonged hardships might throw us off balance and cause chaos.

Facing turbulent times requires the right approach and strategy. It is about analyzing the situation and modifying plans according to circumstances. Retreating to cool down our emotions gives us much-needed time to calmly regroup and form new decisions. Taking a step back is not about giving up or surrendering. It is a tactic to recharge and reorganize before taking two steps forward.

We can meditate and use a calming breathing technique to contemplate and attain inner stability. We might also visualize our desired outcome and experience it in our brain with positive emotions creating matter through our energy and thoughts. This way, we encounter a sense of meaning, aligning our actions with our dreams.

When we stop and check with ourselves internally, we are better able to understand our exact position and determine our next move.  We are able to attend to what is necessary to do to bring back order while setting a new path forward.

Stoic Wisdom

"You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize that and you will find strength." - Marcus Aurelius

Stoic philosophers praised intelligence and fortitude, focusing on the development of virtues over pleasure. To build our inner strength, integrity and dignity and practice our righteousness, we must encounter various life hardships and difficulties to become wholesome.

The presence of a well-balanced and resilient mind, in the heat of disruptive occurrences, is a key to resisting an emotional response to our setbacks and frustrations. Withholding the emotional pull of the moment, and remaining confident, positive and assertive, no matter the circumstances can help us to think logically and strategically.

Facing various adversities trains the mind to become tougher. Learning to restrain spur-of-a-moment emotional reactions steers us away from the chaos and lets us think twice before we make our next move.

Epicurean Love Of Life

“You do not develop courage by being happy in your relationships every day. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity.” - Epicurus

Being content with simple things and achieving inner tranquility is the key to the Epicurean approach to life. Pleasure is the highest good, defined through freedom from fear and pain and calmness of mind. This ancient philosophy recognizes power of the mind as a primary source of pleasure, structure, and self-control. Epicurus, founder of this ideology, focused on achieving joy in moderate living, limiting artificially produced wants and desires that can be a source of pain and frustration.

It is about building character by analyzing our needs and desires and courageously seeking inner peace, moderation, and composure, despite challenges presented in our life. We eliminate negative emotions of fear and distress with gratitude for our life. Appreciating the moment in time, enjoying the companionship of our dear family members and trusted friends, feeling content after a delightfully nutritious meal, or spending time in beautiful and comfortable surroundings adds to building our positivity.

Moderation, mindfulness and paying attention to our physical and mental well-being supports our quest to achieve an inner equilibrium and develop a collected, self-commanded demeanor, increasing our odds of defeating any adversity thrown at us.

Triumph And Reward

"Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory." - General George S. Patton

We wish for an easy life. Yet, the joy of life comes as a reward in response to our triumphant fight against all odds. To achieve inner balance and become well-rounded individuals, we endure a spectrum of situations and circumstances that shape our character and form our behaviour.

From ancient philosophers, to athletes trained in a competitive environment, to strategists, military experts and leaders, we learn about the value of developing inner strength and resilience by training our minds to remain calm and composed under pressure. Our collected approach to facing adversities is a powerful tool that supports us in making the right decisions and setting new strategies.

In our grand plan, we might lose some battles but, at the end, we might win our campaign if we focus on our ultimate goal and act with persistence to accomplish it. Giving up is not an option. Instead of reacting emotionally to people and situations, we can take control and set subtle but precise and effective actions bringing us closer to the finish line.

"Being challenged in life is inevitable, being defeated is optional." - Roger Crawford