How Challenges Help You Thrive in Life
What is the simplest rule for success in life? Is it enough to say “Just show up!” … or is “Be Kind” the simplest rule?
Though these are both important mottos to live by, just showing up or being kind is not a guarantee of success. The key to thriving in any area of your life is adaptability and it’s a life skill that if taught early on — helps children better handle the difficult moments that come their way in adulthood.
You can’t solve today’s challenges with yesterday’s thinking. This principle applies universally—whether it’s in your home life, your education or career, your personal growth, or even global economics. If you get too comfortable in the sand, it becomes harder to pull yourself out. Likewise, you can’t find solutions to today’s problems by relying on outdated ideas or methods.
To truly evolve, you need to create new neural pathways in your brain by expanding your horizons and learning something new every day. This is a motto I strive to live by, and one that I’ve made a point of instilling in my daughters.
You’re Not Bad at Things — You Were Just Never Taught
I’ve lived many lives on my journey. I’ve crawled, stumbled, and fallen more times than I can count. I’ve learned the hard way—sometimes by choice and others by ignorance, but I’ve always gotten back up, dusted myself off, and pushed onward.
But these challenges are what helped me become resilient in life. Learning to adapt when challenges in life or work come our way, is a skill that is essential for our wellbeing.
“We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.” ~ Dolly Parton
There’s No Growth in a Comfort Zone.
Humans are meant to evolve — not stay static. Here are 5 actionable tips to start practicing adaptability today:
- Feed your mind with quality information — not mindless junk.
- Learn something new every day.
- Look for the lessons all around you — no matter how small.
- See challenges as a learning opportunity.
- Be SMART about setting goals —they should be Specific, Measurable (trackable), Attainable, Realistic and Time-Bound
Empower yourself by seeking knowledge daily, Just like watering the soil activates its minerals and feeds the roots, nurturing your mind enables growth, fosters new ideas, and brings life to your goals and aspirations! Ask yourself if the information you hear, read, or see helps your state of wellbeing. If the answer is no, that’s your starting point — if you’re motivated to change.
Don’t look at challenges as failures or roadblocks, look at them as opportunities to learn.
Remember, yesterday is over. Stop trying to relive it. Instead, focus on today and the opportunities it brings. By choosing to learn from our challenges and less-than-wise choices, we grow. We look for the lesson, direct ourselves to do better, and press on. Experience is your richest resource for learning.
Small, Consistent Actions — Culminate to Have Big Impact.
Take time journaling about your goals. Write freely what comes to your mind. Where would you like to be in your life? How would you like to show up? Having a big goal is wonderful — but they take smaller and attainable goals to get there. Being realistic with your time and personal capacity to achieve these goals —is an important step on your journey. When we measure our progress and hold ourselves accountable, we become more motivated in the process and the journey to success moves forward.
So keep watering the soil—your soil—and watch as your life blossoms in ways you never imagined.
Need inspiration for journaling and goal setting? Read Reflecting and Honoring Life’s Experiences.
