Tough experiences challenge us in a way we have not known before.
They are often unfamiliar events that open us up to new and unknown feelings. By dealing with them they challenge and shape us.
Difficult experiences test our mental strength and we come out the other side being wiser, stronger and more resilient.
These challenges in life can help us build resilience and develop a deeper appreciation for the important things in our lives.
When I was a teenager, my best friend died. That sentence is still hard to hear and even say.
It has been years, but that experience still influences me today: how I think of individuals and heartache, what it means to go through a difficult time and what real heartache feels like.
How did this experience shape me:
Whenever I go through something that I experience as hard, I just need to think back to what a difficult experience really means – and then I have to laugh a little; not being able to go out, losing some money, not being able to do your favourite activities…These situations are not hard at all compared to experiencing real, lifechanging heartache.
How are these realizations fueling me now:
Going through that experience of loss and heartache showed me what truly is important in life.
One example of this is the health of loved ones. When someone gets sick or gets hurt in an accident, there is a chance that they even might die.
Life is short and you must make the best of your situation.
Ask yourself – do you want to put the life of your loved ones in danger?
This is very fitting to this time we are experiencing. We have to be especially careful not to potentially harm the health of others, to
stay indoors and not to infect other people – other people have families too!
Did going through a stressful time arm me with tools to face stressful situations?
Yes, it did – moreover – I know that it will all be better someday.
My advice is to please know that this experience is something that you will overcome, just like all the other hard things you have overcome in your life before, you will overcome this difficult time too! You will get through this and one day, reflect back to this time and how you overcame it.
On the other hand, going through this dreadful experience also taught me to be humble and grateful and appreciate the things I have and to be compassionate and help others. Helping others also has a healing effect and, in turn, also makes you grateful and appreciative of what you have.
This is the time to help and support others!
Not being able to feed your family, not having support and not knowing where your food comes from must be tremendously stressful – something I am so privileged not to have experienced before.
People suffering in this way is a serious thing, so what you might be experiencing now might not be so hard at all!
What essential parts of life I rediscovered that I had forgotten:
The worth of friendship and people who you are close to in your life, as well as how special the bonds are that we make with people and how each person has a different bond with that same person.
I hope all of this makes sense to you at some level. What I do know, and what we must not forget, is that everyone experiences things differently.
How we deal with these things are important.
Just know that we will not be the same afterwards, because we will be tougher and wiser, amongst other things.