When Life Goes Uphill
When Life Goes Uphill
The idea of obedience or remaining disciplined whilst suffering is something I came across again recently in my reading. I have also experienced it through numerous challenges this past year – my own and those of others close to me. I am no fan of suffering unnecessarily, but suffering for a cause sounds rather noble don’t you think?
I see people close to me suffering pain, discomfort, misfortune or bad relationships. Many of which are in situations that were not their own doing. Unfortunately, as I’ve learnt, good and bad things happen to good and bad people. Given that all of us will experience uphills now and again, how are we to handle them?
What if we could “use” our suffering by making necessary changes and sticking to them?
January 2025 marks one year since my second serious knee operation. Last week I said to my husband “If nothing else, this injury has made me the most disciplined version of me I have ever been in my life”.
I wish no ill on any of our faithful readers, but given that challenges, obstacles, and suffering are part of life, how can we use them to our benefit? I think the following:
- Change needs to matter: It is hard living with chronic pain and discomfort, but it is even harder not having the issue addressed and missing out on important chunks of your life. It is hard walking away from a bad relationship, but it is even harder to sacrifice your sanity for a relationship that isn’t healthy.
- You need to choose, repeatedly: Every day you will need to make the “harder” choice. Taking the better route cannot be outsourced. You need to choose the healthier choice, invest in your relationships, choose to work on yourself, to go get the help you need. It’s your choice! One that needs to be made continuously.
- Perspective and time matter: Every bad experience is not necessarily punishment, nor is it meant to be a lesson. But given the right perspective (and the passage of time), we can learn valuable lessons from almost all challenging experiences. Even if it takes years.
More of a philosophical note this week. Please share with anyone who could benefit from a different perspective.
If you struggle with responding to change and unexpected obstacles we would love to help, get in touch. You can reach us at info@purposeworks.co.za.
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