Let’s face it, life isn’t always going to be easy, but it doesn’t have to be “so hard” either. Life is a pretty simple matter of choice when you think of it; it’s either choose this way, or choose that way.
We have all experienced times where we get thrown a curve ball of pain and have been brought to our knees, but it’s in those moments where choice is crucial in order to RISE into the right direction.
I like to think of trials in life the same way I look at a workout. When you’re working out and it burns like hell and you start feel like you want to throw up and you want to quit, THAT’S the gateway to the body of your dreams.
Life’s challenges are similar. When you are hurting so bad and are so frustrated, it’s in that moment that you have to acknowledge, accept, push through and take control of your thinking. IT’S the gateway to a new joyful life. The only way out of pain is to go through it and get to your next level.
For some people, people like myself lol, sometimes acknowledgment and acceptance can be the hardest part of this process.I didn’t ever want to “feel” anything or accept that I may have “messed up” or have “gotten off coarse”, but what I learned was “IT”S OK”! How liberating is that? Learning to accept and embrace my challenges and struggles as “my life’s best teachers” was one of the most enlightening and liberating things I could ever do for myself.
So what about this pushing through the pain part of the process? How do you “push through” the pain?
Well when you’re working out and the burn/pain seems like you can’t go on for another second, what do you do? You have a choice: Do you quit, or do you push though? If you choose to push through, well how do you do that? My answer is: YOU have to start to change your thinking. You have to outsmart your own brain. You have to tell yourself that you are strong and that you can do this. You take a sip of water. You may even need to stop for a second, but you get right back into it and you finish!
Same thing applies to struggles and pain in life: After acknowledgment and acceptance you have to start to talk yourself out of it. Stop listening to any negative recording in your head. Set your new playlist and start feeding yourself today’s top hits of positivity. After all, WINNING is so in.
So, when you are faced with a trial that takes you to your knees, rise up in the right direction. Start telling yourself how great you are. Tell yourself about the life you are destined to live. When life throws you that curve ball, instead of letting it hit you like a ton of bricks, tell yourself: Life may have thrown me a curve ball but thank GOD I have quick hands and the golden MIT. Catch the curve and TAKE control! See yourself past the obstacle you are facing.
In order to change your thinking, well you simply have to “just do it” as Nike says, and you have to “just do it” over and over again. Like setting your favorite iPod playlist on repeat! And similar to the workout, you don’t usually see results right away. You have to push through the burn to see results. You may need to stop and scream or cry for a second, but GET BACK IN and keep at your new playlist—over and over again.
The Bible says that faith is born by hearing the word of GOD over and over again. The same principle applies to your new playlist. Even if you don’t believe what you are affirming to yourself at first, keep at it; soon enough you will BELIEVE it and moreover attract the life of your dreams. Just like working out your challenge might look hard, and may even feel, hard, but there IS breakthrough on the other side.And what does “hard” mean anyway? Hard definitely doesn’t mean impossible. “It’s hard” is like saying “it’s easy”; it’s just something to say really. So change your thinking. Instead of saying “it’s hard” say “nothing is impossible” and be responsible for your BEST life. After all YOU DESERVE the BEST. It’s all a matter of choice to BELIEVE IT.
Remember this: Life isn’t about ducking the storm but “dancing” in the rain.
Follow Angela Greenfield on Twitter @anggreenfield
