I don’t have things figured out.
Frankly, no one does.
There is no guru.
We are all humans trying to do our best in the time we have.
In many ways, I wish I could say that I have it figured out. There are trials in life that are incredibly challenging along the way — learning to navigate these as well as I can is essential.
One thing in life is guaranteed; there will be suffering from all types. It’s up to us to choose how we handle these difficulties. It’s also essential to realize that when these difficulties arise that there are things that feel good. That joy does exist in areas of our lives. It just may take some effort to see them at the moment.
What can you learn from the difficulty you are facing?
Despite the many challenges I have faced in my life, I can say that I’m committed to growth. To working on things. Open to trying new ways. Open to shifting my views. Open to connecting with others. Opening to serving others. Seeking to see the world as it is.
One of the more considerable difficulties I have is seeking to be humble. When times get difficult, I find that I can begin speaking in overly positive hyperbole, to over-inflating my self-worth, to being grandiose in an attempt to feel something other than the reality of the difficulty in front of me. In a sense, I try to pump my tires to feel better. This self-inflation has a short life span. And I would say that somewhere in my subconscious, I know it isn’t right, which can lead to a more negative fall out than if I had accepted the reality of the situation in the first place.
Choosing to see the difficulty in front of you as it is can be incredibly powerful and liberating. The fear/anxiety/stress/anger/frustration can dissipate.
Don’t get me wrong; this is hard work.
Speaking for myself, I have tried to shy away from some difficulties in my personal life, and I have wished not to face them in business. Oddly enough, I have found it easier to face business issues as these have felt less personal. Over time I have noticed that when I do not meet the challenges head-on, the problems become more significant, the stress becomes all-encompassing.
By committing to growth, I can better see how to steer through the trials of personal and professional life.
I love the challenge of the work.
I will never have it all figured out, but I am determined to work at it.
I’m committed to growth.