The Upside of Difficult
Fourteen days into the community quarantine and we’re still getting to grips with the event and the new realities it is unfolding. It hasn’t been easy. We’re seeing death, disorder, and the decay of sensible thinking.
If there’s any consolation, it’s that challenges usually work to our favor. It’s not that simple, I know. But whether the difficulty we are facing is a significant one or just a tad discomfort, struggles have counterpart benefits –
It develops resilience. Some individuals are resilient by nature, so it’s easier to bounce back from a challenge. But according to experts, resilience is quite common, and we are quite capable of learning what it takes to become more resilient. Instead of viewing adversity as insurmountable, focus on looking for ways to tackle the situation and make changes that will help. Focusing on the things we can do can help get us out of a negative mindset.
It harnesses creativity. Any idea can lead to a breakthrough, but shutting ourselves down, and giving up to the challenge won’t get us anywhere. Our goal is to redefine our challenges and develop creative ideas to solve the problem we’re facing. By being creative, we can shift our mental state into one that fosters imagination in order to develop new ideas.
It encourages interdependence. We can ask for help or we can give help. There is nothing weak about recognizing that something upsets us. If anything, it makes us strong for acknowledging the way that we feel. Alternatively, helping others has its benefits too in times of difficulty. For one, altruism is contagious, and helping others makes us happier and braver for our toils.
Once we understand the upside of difficulties, we become more open and less anxious of what we’re currently enduring and what is yet to come. It’s easier said than done, but I find the upside illuminating, uplifting, and energizing. It allows for positive reflection and provides a sense of control over a daunting situation.
We may be or feel we’re at the center of a perfect storm right now, but at least we are at the helm. And the possibility of coming out on the other side of this tumult more resilient, with better plans and fulfilling and loving relationships is comforting.
