Accepting Life Challenges for Self Growth with Resilience

The word problem has become a problem, the word has been misused and overused throughout the years. It describes any circumstances experienced in life which takes us away from our routine comfortable zone and forces us to analyse, evaluate and make decisions. The word problem acts as a demotivator and feels like an unenjoyable effort to overcome it. Therefore, I will choose to use the word “challenge” in this article. It emphasises motivational aspect, a goal that we can accomplish with efforts. The word challenge feels rewarding to self, compared to the word problem.

Every single person encounters challenges in their lives; they are lessons essential for our self-growth. We characterise challenges as small and big and justify these characterisations. But how do we define small and big challenges? What are the criteria? Are we characterising it based on our previous experience or our capacity to deal with it or the degree of change that is required from us as result of that challenge.

If we can handle a challenge with less emotional pain, less degree of uncomfortableness and resulting change, it is considered as less challenging, and the opposite is true for a more challenging situation. But based on individual’s level of tolerance to the pain, uncomfortableness, attitude, optimism and courage to tackle the situation, the definition of small and big challenge will be different from one person to another. Challenges are personal to us and it about our capacity to withstand it, be present with it, and our ability to deal with it with resilience. We often compare our challenges with others and come up with the justification on characterisation to our own challenge, however; this is pointless.

Regardless of the type of challenge, it does not exist without a solution and in all cases, the answer is within us. The answer requires self trust, positive attitude, courage, detachment from the outcome and stepping outside the comfort zone. Though it may sound simple, it is difficult as our ego resists these, causing distress and disruption to our comfortable routine life. It will find ways to avoid it. When encountered with a challenge our first instinct is to overlook it as it seems like a burden and find ways to avoid it, hoping the challenge would disappear on its own. Moreover, we think of all the possible negative outcomes and cause ourselves distress where our thinking ability gets impaired. Consequently, we are then unable to evaluate the situation and decide on next course of actions.

We may hope that avoiding a challenge would result into someone else sorting it out for us. This jeopardises our resilience and inner growth. If a lesson is to be learnt in this lifetime, we will be encountered with a similar challenge repeatedly until a lesson is learnt and we outgrow our old self. The universe doesn’t limit itself on giving us chances!

When a challenge arises, there needs to be acceptance and change in mind set. Once the acceptance is reached, the stress level is automatically dropped. The challenge may need support from others or research from the internet, all of which will provide you with various solutions. Each solution will carry its own risks and consequences; in this case a decision needs to be made based on risks and consequences that are considered acceptable by you. It is also important to detach from anything that is not within your control such as the outcome. The focus needs to be on the process rather than if the outcome you envisioned will come to fruition.

Overall, you can call it a problem or challenge, but both will require overcoming it, the outcome is the same for both! When encountered with a challenge ask yourself what feels right to you and ensure to make a decision that comes from the heart. When a solution is identified, it is also essential to prepare your mind entering an uncertainty zone. Say to yourself “whatever the consequences I will deal with it”.

You will be surprised how dealing with a challenge can change your inner self, instead of avoiding it.