I remember sitting in a business conference room and thinking how challenging it was for me to understand business concepts (it still is).
As the presenters spoke they talked about ‘challenges’ they experience while growing a business, but they used the word OPPORTUNITY instead.
I realized that I had always associated the word ‘challenges’ with negative emotions, and the word ‘opportunities’ with positive emotions.
I decided to stop looking at my ‘challenges’ as hard and bad, and start looking at them as ‘opportunities’ for growth and learning.
That didn’t make them easier of course, but I started looking at them with hope and excitement, instead of something to dread.
Of course accepting that our lives are filled with challenges isn’t easy…
But it’s more effective and peaceful with an eternal perspective.
Each challenge, or “thing that has gone wrong,” in our lives is really an opportunity…
It gives us experiences to learn from…
It adds to our knowledge and wisdom…
It gives us opportunities to learn and grow in ways we might not have chosen for ourselves, but that were enriching in the end.
As we get better at navigating these challenges, we BECOME someone.
Someone better than who we were.
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Let’s return to the beginning…
Do I believe we can have a life free of struggle and hardship?
No, but I don’t believe that struggle and hardship MUST come with negative emotions.
I believe struggle and hardship can be fun! (call me crazy)
In fact, I am grateful for the struggle and hardship sometimes, because I LOVE the growth and the relationship I build with my Heavenly Parents each time!
But I believe, “suffering is optional!”
I believe there is always something to be grateful for in ANY circumstance, if we are willing to look for it.
I believe when we focus on what’s good, we open ourselves to our ‘natural’ state of joy!
I believe we make that ‘natural’ state become our ‘familiar’ state and that becomes our new normal.
I believe a Zion people, live in a state of joy and happiness BECAUSE they’ve done the metal and emotional work to practice making this their normal state.
It’s a goal worth working towards!
What do you think?
–If you’d like to have more conversations about this, message me! I’d love to talk!
