The Greater the Pain the Greater the Potential for Growth!

Do you feel down on your luck? Maybe you’ve reached your breaking point when it comes to a certain life situation. Things didn’t turn out the way you wanted or expected. You feel overwhelmed, weak and unable to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

When this happens it’s as if life all of a sudden forces us to carry a three hundred pound load on our back. We can’t help but wonder, “how am I going to find the strength to stand up on my own two feet and move forward?!” What we know thus far is that in the absence of the heavy load life has taught us to stand up with ease. Today however, life is challenging us to develop the internal attributes, the resources (ex: resiliency, courage, determination, faith, compassion, etc…), that will provide the power to rise up under those difficult circumstances. We may think to ourselves, “how am I going to do this? I don’t have the strength!” We may even think “It’s hopeless, I want to give up!” and “why me?!”

The truth is we don’t always know or understand why life all of a sudden forces us to carry such a heavy load (ex: an illness, a death, a financial crisis, a divorce, an accident, etc…). It may feel unfair and unjustified. However, if we’re ever going to find inner peace and joy again, we have to learn to stand up on our own two feet and rise up to the challenge whether we like it or not!

At that point, it’s our attitude and focus in the face of adversity that determines our potential for growth and success. If our focus is on our weaknesses then our attitude is one of defeat. We feel like powerless victims in the face of adversity. The load that was meant to provide resistance so that we can become stronger more compassionate individuals now weights us down to the point of collapse. On the other hand if our focus is on our abilities, then our attitude is one of empowerment. We can move forward knowing that despite our fears and weaknesses the load provides the resistance that allows us to build up deeper strengths. As a result we grow into wiser, more empowered and well-rounded individuals. We then become sources of hope and inspiration for the rest of the world.

“It’s easier said than done” you might say and I would agree. However just like when people go to the gym to hire a trainer to learn to lift weights properly and avoid injuries; we sometimes need to reach out to others in whom we can instill trust to help us in our personal growth journey. Remember that admitting that you can’t do it on your own is not a sign of weakness but one of wisdom…
So, let’s smile in the face of adversity because the greater the pain, the greater the potential for growth!

© Copyright. Resonance for Life Body/Mind Harmonization Center, 2016. All rights reserved. Unpublished. Anne-Marie Campanella MA.