Experiencing challenges from time to time is just a part of life. And it happens to all of us – these challenges may look a little different for each person, but at some point, we will all face something that provokes us and tests us. The wounds of our childhood can impact who we grow to be. And as adults, whether it’s the lingering impact of what we faced in our youth, newly-acquired traumas and self-doubt, or even the challenges of daily life, the challenges we face can bring us any number of emotions from stress, anxiety, and frustration, to fear and fatigue. But it’s not all doom and gloom – far from it, actually – since these challenges can actually be really good for us. How? Because they can make us mentally and emotionally stronger. Strength doesn’t always have to come in the form of fighting battles, either – it can involve us roaring loudly and never giving up on the things that matter to us, but it can also be quiet, like walking away from something that hurts us, or developing the courage to say “No” to something that doesn’t serve us well. Building resilience can not only help us cope with life’s challenges, it can help us grow, enabling us to bounce back from hardships more confident, empowered, and better than we were before.
Imagine that you're driving a car. Suddenly, something's wrong: a dog has walked out onto the road in front of you. At that moment, every other thought clears from your mind, and an intense feeling rushes through you: the impulse to swerve instantly.
Stress plays a massive role in our lives, particularly with all of the pressures that the modern day can bring. Being stuck in a traffic jam can be stressful. Reading bad news can be stressful. Having a large to-do list can be stressful. But stress often gets a bad rap: we tend to use the word stress to primarily describe bad events in our lives, rather than any good ones. But did you know that sometimes, a bit of stress can actually be good for us?
How do we find comfort during hard times? How can we reframe our perspectives, so that we can turn a hardship into a positive life lesson? Is it possible to be strong yet gentle at the same time? These are all questions that may come up as we explore our mental strength – and even the act of asking the question is part of how we build it, since self-awareness, self-accountability, and developing the desire to transform difficult situations into experiences that help us grow is the first step.
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