“The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.” (Moliere)
“There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance next time.” (Malcolm X)
Adversity involves distress, calamity, hardship, or affliction. No one is immune to the fact that adversity can hit their life like an unexpected tsunami, in unforeseen ways and at unpredictable times. They can throw our lives into utter turmoil by tormenting our mind, pummeling our body, or assaulting our soul. Most people would be able to count at least one, but more likely more than one, situation or circumstance that pressured them beyond what they felt capable of handling. They felt stressed, stretched, strained, or even completely overwhelmed by circumstances beyond their control. It probably led to feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or even defeated in the face of the insurmountable pain, suffering, or struggle that they faced. Adversity often leads to temporary setbacks when we are just having to adjust to getting our feet back under us and taking account of all that was impacted by the storm. While it is normal and even healthy to take time to adjust to the ‘new normal’ of what occurred, danger evolves when we get stuck in that paralyzed position of inaction. Years can pass until we notice that something important inside us got lost or blocked back then during that period. But it doesn’t have to stay that way. Adversity does not always have to win. It does not deserve to get the final word.
The plot of many great story lines found in literature, film, and oral tradition highlights individuals who faced adversity and overcame it in astounding ways. Even if we have not found ourselves in the situation that the protagonist is facing, we can still identify with the pressures against them and participate in the elation of their overcoming when they conquer their foe. There is something transcendent about watching someone confront and rise above adversity, even if they get some scars along the journey. It is foolish to think that adversity won’t affect us. It will. It often changes us, sometimes in good ways and sometimes in bad. But there is something beautiful about watching someone grapple through the struggles that adversity introduces into their life, and irrespective of the specifics of their unique circumstance, reach beyond their previous limitations to emerge out the other side of the chaos. These stories incite hope for those watching to grab hold of and strength to face their own challenges.
We tend to walk away from these types of books and movies feeling stirred to dare to hope or dream again. Observing others whose courage and tenacity compelled them to triumph over adversity stirs something magnificent in the human spirit, particularly when we personally witness ourselves or someone dear to us rise beyond challenging circumstances. It provokes the potentiality of overcoming that percolates deep within each of us. Deep calls unto deep. It evidences that humans are created with a capacity for resilience, that there is something interwoven in our nature to live beyond ourselves. While we all may differ in how proactive we are in actually capturing this idea of resilience, nurturing it, and walking it out, I believe the seeds of resilience that potentiate our ability to overcome are accessible to us all. The brilliant stories we hear about, read about, or watch on film stir something in us to rise up and become more than we otherwise would be if we settled into the conflicting struggles that often overpower us during times of crisis and trial. These stories pierce the darkness of defeat, offering glimmers of light to nourish our own possibilities for triumph.
Courage is indeed contagious. The more we surround ourselves with individuals and stories who model resilience, the more we are attuning ourselves to function at that same frequency. The next time you are exposed to a story wherein someone overcame difficult circumstances or defeated challenging odds against them, let their story percolate within you. Ask yourself what they thought about, how they postured their attitude, and what they physically acted upon that empowered them to endure. Let their story of overcoming teach you, nourishing those places inside where you doubt your own ability to persevere. Allow yourself to be strengthened by their story, because it is indeed possible. Resilience is a muscle. Just like any skill, resilience can be learned. Set yourself on a path in your life to practice resilience. Continually expose yourself to people and stories that inspire you, and start to impress yourself with your own stories of overcoming. “Through adversity, not only are we given opportunity to discover our strength, we are also given the gift of foresight so we can shine a light for others who go through the experience after us” (Rachel Bermingham). Embrace the light of hope that emanates from other people’s lives, begin to live it out in your own, and then shine a light for others to be encouraged to do the same.
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