8 Things to
Remember When Everything Goes Wrong
“The best way out is always through.” ―Robert Frost
“Today,
I’m sitting in my hospital bed waiting to have both my breasts removed.
But in a strange way I feel like the lucky one. Up until now I have had
no health problems. I’m a 69-year-old woman in the last room at the end
of the hall before the pediatric division of the hospital begins. Over
the past few hours I have watched dozens of cancer patients being wheeled by in
wheelchairs and rolling beds. None of these patients could be a day older
than 17.”
That’s an entry from my
grandmother’s journal, dated 9/16/1977. I photocopied it and pinned it to
my bulletin board about a decade ago. It’s still there today, and it
continues to remind me that there is always, always, always something to be
thankful for. And that no matter how good or bad I have it, I must wake
up each day thankful for my life, because someone somewhere else is desperately
fighting for theirs.
Truth be told, happiness is not the
absence of problems, but the ability to deal with them. Imagine all the
wondrous things your mind might embrace if it weren’t wrapped so tightly around
your struggles. Always look at what you have, instead of what you have
lost. Because it’s not what the world takes away from you that counts;
it’s what you do with what you have left.
Here are a few reminders to help
motivate you when you need it most:
1. Pain is part of growing.
Sometimes life closes doors because it’s time to move
forward. And that’s a good thing because we often won’t move unless
circumstances force us to. When times are tough, remind yourself that no
pain comes without a purpose. Move on from what hurt you, but never
forget what it taught you. Just because you’re struggling
doesn’t mean you’re failing. Every great success requires some type of
worthy struggle to get there. Good things take time. Stay patient
and stay positive. Everything is going to come together; maybe not
immediately, but eventually.
Remember that there are two kinds of
pain: pain that hurts and pain that changes you. When you roll with life,
instead of resisting it, both kinds help you grow.
2. Everything in life is temporary.
Every time it rains, it stops
raining. Every time you get hurt, you heal. After darkness there is
always light – you are reminded of this every morning, but still you often
forget, and instead choose to believe that the night will last forever.
It won’t. Nothing lasts forever.
So if things are good right now, enjoy it. It
won’t last forever. If things are bad, don’t worry because it won’t last
forever either. Just because life isn’t easy at the moment, doesn’t mean
you can’t laugh. Just because something is bothering you, doesn’t mean
you can’t smile. Every moment gives you a new beginning and a new
ending. You get a second chance, every second. You just have to
take it and make the best of it.
3. Worrying and complaining changes nothing.
Those who complain the most, accomplish
the least. It’s always better to attempt to do something great and fail
than to attempt to do nothing and succeed. It’s not over if you’ve lost;
it’s over when you do nothing but complain about it. If you believe in
something, keep trying. Don’t let the shadows of the past darken the
doorstep of your future. Spending today complaining about yesterday won’t
make tomorrow any brighter. Take action instead. Let what you’ve
learned improve how you live. Make a change and never look back.
And regardless of what happens in the
long run, remember that true happiness begins to arrive only when you stop
complaining about your problems and you start being grateful for all the
problems you don’t have.
4. Your scars are symbols of your strength.
Don’t ever be ashamed of the scars life has left you
with. A scar means the hurt is over and the wound is closed. It
means you conquered the pain, learned a lesson, grew stronger, and moved
forward. A scar is the tattoo of a triumph to be proud of. Don’t
allow your scars to hold you hostage. Don’t allow them to make you live your life in fear. You
can’t make the scars in your life disappear, but you can change the way you see
them. You can start seeing your scars as a sign of strength and not pain.
Rumi once said, “The wound is the place
where the Light enters you.” Nothing could be closer to the truth.
Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most powerful characters
in this great world are seared with scars. See your scars as a sign of
“YES! I MADE IT! I survived and I have my scars to prove it!
And now I have a chance to grow even stronger.”
5. Every little struggle is a step forward.
In life, patience is not about waiting;
it’s the ability to keep a good attitude while working hard on your dreams,
knowing that the work is worth it. So if you’re going to try, put in the
time and go all the way. Otherwise, there’s no point in starting.
This could mean losing stability and comfort for a while, and maybe even your
mind on occasion. It could mean not eating what, or sleeping where,
you’re used to, for weeks on end. It could mean stretching your comfort
zone so thin it gives you a nonstop case of the chills. It could mean
sacrificing relationships and all that’s familiar. It could mean
accepting ridicule from your peers. It could mean lots of time alone in
solitude. Solitude, though, is the gift that makes great things
possible. It gives you the space you need. Everything else is a
test of your determination, of how much you really want it.
And if you want it, you’ll do it, despite failure and
rejection and the odds. And every step will feel better than anything
else you can imagine. You will realize that the struggle is not found on
the path, it is the path. And it’s worth it. So if you’re going to
try, go all the way. There’s no better feeling in the world… there’s no
better feeling than knowing what it means to be ALIVE.
6. Other people’s negativity is not your problem.
Be positive when negativity surrounds
you. Smile when others try to bring you down. It’s an easy way to
maintain your enthusiasm and focus. When other people treat you poorly,
keep being you. Don’t ever let someone else’s bitterness change the
person you are. You can’t take things too personally, even if it seems
personal. Rarely do people do things because of you. They do things
because of them.
Above all, don’t ever change just to
impress someone who says you’re not good enough. Change because it makes
you a better person and leads you to a brighter future. People are going
to talk regardless of what you do or how well you do it. So worry about
yourself before you worry about what others think. If you believe
strongly in something, don’t be afraid to fight for it. Great strength
comes from overcoming what others think is impossible.
All jokes aside, your life only comes
around once. This is IT. So do what makes you happy and be with
whoever makes you smile, often.
7. What’s meant to be will eventually, BE.
True strength comes when you have so
much to cry and complain about, but you prefer to smile and appreciate your
life instead. There are blessings hidden in every struggle you face, but
you have to be willing to open your heart and mind to see them. You can’t
force things to happen. You can only drive yourself crazy trying.
At some point you have to let go and let what’s meant to be, BE.
In the end, loving your life is about trusting your
intuition, taking chances, losing and finding happiness, cherishing the
memories, and learning through experience. It’s a long-term
journey. You have to stop worrying, wondering, and doubting every step of
the way. Laugh at the confusion, live consciously in the moment, and
enjoy your life as it unfolds. You might not end up exactly where you
intended to go, but you will eventually arrive precisely where you need to
be.
8. The best thing you can do is to keep going.
Don’t be afraid to get back up – to try
again, to love again, to live again, and to dream again. Don’t let a hard
lesson harden your heart. Life’s best lessons are often learned at the
worst times and from the worst mistakes. There will be times when it
seems like everything that could possibly go wrong is going wrong. And
you might feel like you will be stuck in this rut forever, but you won’t.
When you feel like quitting, remember that sometimes things have to go very
wrong before they can be right. Sometimes you have to go through the
worst, to arrive at your best.
Yes, life is tough, but you are
tougher. Find the strength to laugh every day. Find the courage to
feel different, yet beautiful. Find it in your heart to make others smile
too. Don’t stress over things you can’t change. Live simply.
Love generously. Speak truthfully. Work diligently. And even
if you fall short, keep going. Keep growing.
Awake every morning and do your best to
follow this daily TO-DO list:
1. Think
positively.
2. Eat healthy.
3. Exercise
today.
4. Worry less.
5. Work hard.
6. Laugh often.
7. Sleep well.
Repeat…
The floor is yours..
What helps you stay motivated when
you’re struggling? What’s something positive you try to keep in mind when
everything seems to be going wrong? Leave a comment below and share your
thoughts.
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