I’m going thru a rough time in my life these days. It sometimes hits you like a ton of bricks. And you don’t know what to do. Why is this happening to me? A lot of negative emotions rise up from the ashes: anger, anxiety, sadness, depression. All that good stuff.
And I find myself asking how I can get thru this? How can I suck this up? How can I make lemons into lemonade? Where can I find that silver lining? That positive in the midst of all these negatives.
And sometimes, I struggle. We all do. I process that grief. That anguish. And I just accept that hard times will fall on all of us. We are not alone in our struggles. And yes, eventually we can make it thru the tunnel and come out okay. We just need time to heal and reflect and process.
Think about all the good times you’ve had throughout your 37 years of existence. Look at the places you’ve been to. The relationships you’ve built. The experiences you’ve shared. The hobbies you’ve undertaken. You have a wealth of peaceful and happy experiences to fall back on. You’ve lived a grateful and contented life. One worth remembering.
Everything from here on out is just gravy. Is just icing on the cake. Life is meant to be enjoyed. And whatever struggles or hard times that you are going thru right now, you will get thru it eventually and you will learn from it. And you will come out a more complete individual than you were before.
That’s the silver lining of anguish. The silver lining of heartbreak. We can use it to our benefit to become stronger for the experiences to come in the future. We can rest easy knowing that everyone goes thru their own demons. Their own anguish. Their own heartbreak.
And they will get thru it and become better themselves. During rough times, all you can do is keep busy and invest in yourself. Invest in your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Stay active. Engage in extracurricular hobbies. Keep yourself focused on your work and passions. And you can still live a happy and fulfilling life.
Even through hard times. Even through challenges. You can see the sun shining thru the clouds. You can see that there is always something that you can gain for every pain and struggle.
When I struggled with social anxiety, I would obsess over social connection. I would be so worried and feel so insufficient every time I went thru a social experience. When I went out to a bar with friends. Or went out to a restaurant with a group of people. It’s hard to engage passionately when you feel awkward and unconfident.
That struggle was painful in its own right. But, the silver lining was that I found Toastmasters - a group that empowers individuals to improve their communication skills. This group has been a boon for me thru dark times. And I’ve made numbers of friends and acquaintances from joining this group for over ten years. That is my silver lining thru this struggle. And I have gained innumerable life experiences from this organization.
So, when you encounter strife or anguish. Know that there is always a way to make lemons out of lemonade. A way to see that silver lining thru all the clouds and thunderstorms. Keep yourself aware of what is going on and you will find that positive in the midst of all the negatives. You will see that there is something to be learned thru everything - good or bad.
And when the good times roll around again, you can view them with a renewed sense of passion and appreciation. Because how can we truly appreciate the good times if we don’t know how it feels to have hit rock bottom? You don’t appreciate the peaks unless you truly experience the valleys. And we humans are resilient creatures. We will find ways to persevere. To fight thru the anguish. To come out renewed and vigorous.
We will find a way to move on to greener pastures. And inspire those that are currently going thru hard times to similarly find that silver lining so that they too can move towards a better tomorrow. My heart goes out to those of you that are suffering from heartbreak. From separation. From tragedies. From all the curveballs that life throws our way. My heart goes out to you all.
I know what it feels to suffer. So, I can only imagine what each and every one of you are going thru at this moment. But, you will get thru this. Times will improve. And you will look back on this day with fondness and appreciation. Because every moment is a learning environment. A chance to grow and become a better human being. Just keep searching for the positives. Keep searching and you won’t be disappointed.