In life, we can be assured that there will be times of challenge and uncertainty. It is the times of difficulty that provide us with the opportunity to realize our strengths and allow us to grow and learn.
The difficulty becomes less daunting when we are willing to change our way of thinking and are ready to adapt to change. Change involves destruction of what we believed to be true and the birth of new possibilities. We learn that our inner strength is far greater than our own fear. We gain increasing wisdom and courage as lessons continue to present themselves as life unfolds. Each obstacle we conquer better prepares us to successfully face the next challenge. The strength to overcome any adversity must first be met with the courage to face your greatest fears.
When you are placed in a situation and find yourself saying “I don’t want this to be my life”, you have begun to strive for something better. If you want something different than what you currently have, you have to be willing to do something different. This means stepping out of the safety of your own comfort zone and facing the challenge despite fears. The struggle to overcome difficulty continues to strengthen us as we continue forward toward the life that we do want.
During my illness, I was faced with the possibility of spending the rest of my life in a wheelchair. My first reaction to this prospect was that, “this is NOT okay with me!” I chose to believe early on that I would walk again. I knew that it would be difficult physically, but the mental and spiritual wisdom I gained pushed me to achieve physical achievements. After 2 years of rehabilitation, I was able to walk on my own. At that moment, I knew that I had the power to fulfill my dream of becoming a chiropractor and I decided that I would not accept anything less.
While completing my clinical internship at Chiropractic College I faced many physical challenges. I thought I had to hide my disability and pretend that certain tasks were not as demanding as they were. I thought that any difficulty I exposed would show me to be weak. I wanted to prove that I could do what everyone else could do. I soon discovered, by showing the world what I could accomplish despite physical challenges revealed my strength. It showed my perseverance and that anything was possible. The true gift of my illness was, in fact, my life.
“Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness.” – Ekhart Tolle
