I’m sorry about that pain you are feeling. You know the one I’m talking about; the hardship that you didn’t ask for that keeps you up at night. The one you think about or grapple with in the shower. The one you talk to your significant other, best friend, or therapist about. I’m sorry you’re dealing with that.
Here’s the silver lining.
It’s easy to believe that personal growth is a slow, steady process. It feels good to think that you are getting better at your jobs, hobbies, and life in small, measured increments. Who doesn’t like the idea of being a wiser, more developed person at the end of every single day?
The truth, however, is that real growth doesn’t happen without discomfort. Think about the experiences that really taught you something about life, medicine, business, or other people. How many lessons did you slowly pick up over time like a zen meditation, and how many did you quickly and painfully acquire like a sprained ankle or burn from a hot stove?
As much as we want to believe we can think ourselves into being stronger, wiser people, this is rarely how it works. Strength and wisdom come from experience, and the experiences that tend to leave lasting impressions on us are often painful.
If you’re trudging through a challenging or frustrating situation, I want you to know that you are becoming a stronger person with a greater depth of life experience to draw on. If you’re carrying a burden you would know not to pick up again, you are undeniably wiser than you once were, and when you put that burden down, you’ll know you have strength in a way you previously did not.
No, what you’re dealing with may not be fair or your fault. It’s probably not the most pleasant way to learn either. But you can know that you are learning, and these painful lessons are the ones that strengthen us and stick with us.
You can do this… and you’ll be a better, stronger, wiser, and more experienced person when you are done.
