Being Thankful for Challenges
Being Thankful for Challenges
How do you view your challenges? Is it something that happened to you or for you? I believe there are lessons in everything. Sometimes it's hard to say, or see in the moment, that everything happens for a reason. I feel as hard as our experiences can be there is truth behind it. How can we shift from a woe is me energy to an energy full of encouragement?
When I reflect on my missteps or hardships I think of how far I have come. We become stronger & wiser in our experiences. When my oldest was just a toddler we went through significant financial hardship. With a trifecta of the housing market crash, unemployment & a bad habit of overspending we found ourselves in dire straits. It led to us losing our family home, filing for bankruptcy and moving out of state to follow work opportunities. At the time I hated it! I never saw myself living anywhere other than my home state. I couldn't imagine not being close to family or my friends. It was hard not to think why all this was happening TO US instead of FOR US.
During that time it was a big adjustment for me personally. I went from being a full time working mom to a full time stay at home mom in a town where I didn't know anyone. It was very lonely & I didn't know what to do with myself. It was also hard not making my own money. I fell into a minor depression about it. Looking back now. As difficult as that time was, it truly was a blessing in disguise. It gave us a clean slate financially, my family relationships became closer than ever and I was given the opportunity to experience the gratifying feeling of being a stay at home mom. I never saw myself as a stay at home mom but I really enjoy it! The crafting, volunteering at school, really I just love being there for my kids.
There was something I read online once, I don't remember who shared it but it reminded me of this time in my life. It said "The Universe had to make you uncomfortable, otherwise you never would have moved." I find so much truth and gratitude in that pain.
📷: Jukan Tateisi