Facing Life

Sometimes in life we are faced with obstacles, challenges, or even demons. We do not always ask for these problems; usually never, and sometimes we do nothing to cause these problems. The question arises of why? Why me, is a question that I have been battling with for some time now, because of numerous health reasons. When your identity of being is questioned. Why me? Is all that seems to cloud your mind.

Is why me? The right question to be asking? Nope, it’s one that can give us a reason if you so strongly believe in a higher being, and even then, it’s tough. I believe God only gives us what one can handle problems wise, and maybe he has great plans that the problems are strengthening you for, but some people may not believe, or just never know because how many people directly know God’s plans? So why me is the wrong question or a question without an answer.

The right question is how will I grow through this adversity. How will this shape me, what new perspective will I gain on life, what opportunity will that perspective and this challenge give me in my life?

Personally, my new perspective on life is one of much deeper thinking, a perspective that forces me to be more positive, to look at the good in all, to help others, as I have been helped along my journey. A perspective of living in the present, living a life of understanding, empathy, knowledge, and giving.

My new perspective has guided me to start this blog. This new perspective has taken me out of my comfort zone, and has me attempting to help others with insight that may be laughed at by some, but may also help others. My pain has guided me to be the person I am meant to be.

How does one gain new perspective during life’s challenges? New perspective is gained through mental toughness. Mental toughness allows tough circumstances to become personal great advantages. Harry Dorfman a great sports phycologist defined mental toughness as “Mental toughness: We reject rather than accept pressure. We control pain rather than be controlled by it. We grow rather than shrink through adversity. We become further motivated by failure rather than defeated.” In simple terms, mental toughness means having a positive attitude, thinking and acting in the now, letting obstacles in your life motivate you to do better, and block out the negative outcomes we believe may occur. Replacing those negative outcome thoughts with thoughts of positive outcomes and hope.

In simple terms, mental toughness allows challenges to act as a weight, and our mind as a muscle. The challenge is pushed and pulled by the mind. The mind than strengthens, and obstacles are not looked at as challenges rather building blocks.

So how do we develop mental toughness? Mental toughness is developed through breaking though barriers in the mind, understanding things in new perspectives, and trial and error of numerous practices. Your mind is a muscle we must always remember, and it must be treated as one.

The main practice in developing mental toughness is mindfulness. Mindfulness as discussed in (Mindfulness Blog) is the ability to tune out the past and future and solely concentrate in the now, while having full control and understanding of emotions.

Taking a few moments out of each day to practice mindfulness, will directly correlate to slowly incorporating it into your everyday thinking. To truly develop mental toughness not only use mindfulness and gain insight into your emotions, and thoughts, but always remain hopeful.