As many of you know by now, I recently graduated with my masters. This morning, I participated in the ceremony at the college campus. Throughout the ceremony, the common topic emphasized was resilience. The ability to overcome tough events throughout our lives. Too many of us are fighting some tough times in our lives right now. But for me, it is not just resilience that got me where I am today.
Society
I was discussing how society has changed so much over the last 20-plus years with my husband this morning. Finding now, how we are facing individuals looking for the easy way, exploiting weaknesses, and the loss of caring for our fellow man. So, when we are faced in a situation resilience is just a piece of us, pushing us to our end goal.
When I talk with my friends that also have young children, we talk about how to help our children understand the society we live in. How do you teach a child that they are in trouble because someone unknown didn’t like how they were playing with others? What about how many times did we get labeled as difficult because we were perceived to be rude?
Face of adversity
We are facing challenges in our lives from relationships, pressure by family or ourselves, loss, illnesses, and too much more. Then we add in the constant need to watch what we do. Be aware of what we say. Defend how we dress. To an adult, the confusion, stress, and just plain frustration is enough to be depressed. To a child…well this becomes something much more dangerous.
So much more than resilient
Resilience may help us get through, but it is not the only thing. I have several people amazed by the strength I had to handle my dad’s illness and loss, going to school, raising a child, working full time, being a wife, and trying to just find a minute for me. That strength was something I didn’t know I had, that is until there was no other choice. There was no option of giving up in any of those areas. All I could do was take the one step each day I needed to.
Just one step forward
We each have strength inside that reminds us to take a step forward. There may be life curveballs pushing us back. As long as there continues to be a step forward, that resilience grows stronger, and we will get to the finish line. Showing our children that adversity will show itself throughout their life. It is the resilience and the strength we each hold, guiding us through. Focusing an ounce of time to ourselves and our needs, adds power. That it is okay to ask for help, no matter the need. It is okay to be more selective of the people in our lives. Holding onto the support we know will boost and guide, not those that will hold us down.
Work in progress
I agree that my resilience to get through the last 2 years has been strong, but so has my drive to myself. I made a choice some time ago that it was time to take back me. To find what I wanted in life. Bring my personal focus back to myself. Nearly losing me to depression and the need to make others happy, I lost my ability to want and need. It was time to find who I was. I am a work in progress. And my resilience, my strength, my drive, and now my need to be happy once again will get me there…eventually.
Enjoy this music video.
With great warmth,
