Before kids, my wife and I loved trips to all-inclusive resorts in paradise. Jamaica, Bahamas, Dominican. Wherever the sun and beach were, sign us up. I used to think this was the goal – find paradise and settle in. Drinks, a book, and my family watching the sun set over the beautiful ocean. As Kenny Chesney would say – no shoes, no shirt, no problems. What other dreams would we need in life?
Early in my adulthood this sun in paradise clouded my mind into thinking comfort is the end goal. Heading to one of these resorts was such a great escape from reality and often well needed. The picturesque moment of lying in the hammock right above the pearly white sand looking over the palm tree line by the ocean. We all have all had one of those screen saver pictures at some point, right?
What can be hard to see is while our mind may think this life of comfort created in paradise is our ideal destination, we’re missing what true fulfillment in life is. It’s the moments of struggle that provide an opportunity to learn and develop perseverance, disappointment that provides more education on the path to eventual success, and all the experiences in the middle. It’s not finding some sense of comfort and contentment that creates what we’re looking for long-term. The fulfillment we want in life is a journey of curiosity where we’re continuing to explore what else we’re capable of becoming and the incredible impact we can have.
One of the interesting parts is that we don’t realize right now can be one of the best parts of the ride. Even if we’re facing struggles with relationships, see work as a storm of chaos, or can’t quite find a rhythm in our health and wellness journey, we’re seeing part of what makes life incredible. We don’t feel the heights of life without an understanding of what rough times mean. We can’t comprehend and grab perspective on what success and fulfillment feels like if we don’t go through disappointment and struggle.
During these times we may question whether we’re going to make it through the struggle or whether we’re even worthy of what we’re chasing. We may feel like we’re to a point we can’t take another L in the win/loss column. To get to the heights we’re looking for and truly feel the fulfillment we deserve, we must go through the low times to gain perspective.
It’s hard to see in the moment of struggle but tough times create the greatest opportunities. We want the easy button through the trials of life but the more we challenge ourselves to see the opportunity within the difficulty, the quicker we’ll realize the good life is not sitting forever on some beach. It’s experiencing the rollercoaster of following our passions and finding ways we can make a positive impact in our own authentic way.
Take your step: the step this week centers around reflection. Right now, most of us are in the middle of a storm in some area of our life. It’s tough and during these low moments we want a way out. The way to our most fulfilled life though is through the storm. Take time to reflect on what you can gain from this storm you’re in. As Churchill once said, see the opportunity in every difficulty. Remain focused on the opportunities that can come from this struggle to keep working through the difficult time. At some point, this difficult time will make the success even that much more fulfilling.