The Battle is Necessary for the Victory!

There is no victory unless a battle is fought and while we may appreciate and long for easier days, the hard days form us. The hardest of times introduce us to the grit and resilience we’re made of. Without the adversity, we might otherwise never know our next level of strength.

I’ll admit that during the battle, it’s brutal. It’s exhausting and it can be easy to become cynical. I’ve found that this is something I have to be hyper aware of so I don’t slip into a negative space. I’m working on being skeptical instead of cynical.

See, there are several reasons why I could be cynical right now. I’ve had friends let me down, people disappear during tough times, people turn the other way when they’ve seen injustice in my life and people placating me with empty words like… “if there’s anything I can do” and then not do anything to help.

I’ve seen the worst in humanity recently and in my personal life I feel stuck between a rock and a hard place. I made a promise to my dying father and balancing those responsibilities while maintaining my mental sanity has been the biggest personal challenge I’ve ever faced.

This morning during my workout I was listening to Ed Mylett’s podcast and the tears just starting streaming down my face as the host described the how challenge you’re facing is absolutely necessary. He said that you wouldn’t be given the adversity if your creator didn’t think you could handle it. As I bench pressed the weights, I quietly whispered “Give me the strength to endure then.”

I know that this challenge will make me stronger. I know it will end. I know I will look back one day with relief that it is all over. This too shall pass. What will I have learned?

How about you? Are facing a mountain today that is draining you? If you were to look at it from this perspective, how might it impact your stamina? What would your ideal outcome be? I bet if you look back on adversities you’ve already faced, you’ll see you have a history of overcoming challenging times that have made you stronger as a result.

Often, we get stuck in the current situation that we forget about the future, but I promise you both mine and yours is bright! Hang in there!