Some lessons happen over a lifetime.
Others happen in an instant.
Either way, the paradox of strength is that it develops though pain.
Each misfortune cultivates a renewed appreciation.
Each obstacle fosters a new level of perseverance.
Each sadness teaches a greater depth of compassion.
Each challenge harvests a new field of possibilities.
We must fall down to rise up.
Again, and again and again.
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True. Things happen gradually. But pain walks with us every time because without the pain, the life is incomplete. If life is the ship then pain is the ocean. Ship can’t be tested on lands, right?
I love the post. Peace and live well.
Great insights! I love your ocean analogy. “If life is the ship then pain is the ocean.” You are right: Ships cannot be tested on dry land. We have to venture out to experience life – the good, the bad, and everything in between. 🚢
Yes, Ma’am.
Experience is what makes a life wonderful.
Sometimes, storms will hit the ship very bad.
No problem. Go back and build a new ship.
Thanks for the humble reply.
Love this!!!
Thank you for the reminder!
Will be sharing this…
Sandy xo
Thanks Sandy! ❤️
I’m finally recognizing these truths in my life. The pain and challenges serve if I allow them to. Thanks for the reminders Andrea.
“The pain and challenges serve if I allow them to.” Beautifully said Brad. And so true. We are so prone to “fight or flight” our way through challenge. When in truth, the best way to move beyond is to receive / allow the lesson. I also wrote a post on allowing: https://drandreadinardo.com/2017/03/07/the-art-of-allowing/ 🌿🍃
Thanks Andrea. I’ve written about allowing many times. Living it is another matter. 🙂
So true Brad. The quintessence of Earth school. 🌎📚
Reblogged this on Passions of Willie and commented:
Great writing …
Inspirational.
Thank you for sharing with your readers Willie!
Ohhhh wow…this is just in time….
Awesome!
Great post with so much truth. Easy to embrace after the fact but something we are learning to do before the fact happens.
Agreed!
Monday morning quarterbacking (on life) is always the easiest. Tougher to see the lesson in the midst the the grit, grind, and dirt.
Which is why mantras are so important during adversity. They wake us up to our innate, hard won gifts. They remind us that we’ve had the ball – all along. That we’re on the precipice of a breakaway. If only we trust our way.
My mantra in adversity is: “Find the light. Find the lesson”.
What’s yours?
We like that mantra. Does the ole rule apply when you like someone’s mantra that after using it 3 times and giving credit to the originator you can then claim it…. just kidding. I guess our mantra would be faith and perseverance.
I would add one thing to your finding strength mantra. Faith, perseverance, and lightheartedness. This is the epitome of you. (This is how your blog reads.) ☀️💫
We like that! That is thoughtful of you to share because it is our hope to have the blog convey these attributes. You have such a wonderful gift of wisdom and expression. Your students are blessed to have you as a mentor.
Thank you! Your words mean so much. Especially coming from fellow educators like you. 📚 💚
Good judgement comes from experience ; and we gain experience from bad judgement
Amen Willie!
Life is our greatest classroom.
The hope is to be surrounded by teachers & cheerleaders who support us through our growth & flourishing.
Good judgement. Bad judgement. And all.
A very wise post as always Andrea. Life is one big school of learning and it never stops…
Such a universal experience for us all. Different lessons. Same schoolhouse. Same yellow bus. And we all have a choice each morning to jump on the bus and enjoy the crazy, ridiculous, bumpy ride or shake a fist at it while running behind. All the while becoming more exhausted & depleted. Fight or flight or learn. Such a universal experience for us all. Different lessons. Same schoolhouse….
Reblogged this on iamlifelonglearner and commented:
Such a great inspirational piece, it needs to be reblogged since the message is so relevant!
Thank for sharing with your readers.
I have a relative starting a new nursing job next week. About everything you can imagine that could go incorrectly with the HR process has happened to my relative! From HR having 2 profiles; new hire & transfer, required to do new hire paperwork that wasn’t necessary, cannot get access to the Uniform link to order uniforms for new job! So when I saw this post…this is my relative experience right now. My relative has #Perservance, such an important Life Skill!!! Thank you for sharing! Just what I needed to see this morning! 🙂
What a story! Thank you for sharing how this post impacted your family. Nurses are my specialty! And the nurse you describe has perseverance multiplied. Obstacles are stepping stones for them. Such a critical trait in working with patients. Each time a nurse perseveres, they give their patients inspiration to do the same. No roadblocks. No stop signs. Only detours. And adventures. To a much stronger place. 💫
I agree! I have a “soft spot” for this particular nurse!!! She is going to be an amazing nurse since she spent 1 yr. as a Patient Care Tech & 3 years as a Pharmacy Tech while in college!!! This relative is awesome…roadblocks and all…she is a total inspiration to me!
Very inspirational! True wisdom. Thank you for writing this!
My pleasure Hank! 😊
Love knowing my post inspired you.
Reblogged this on Emerging From The Dark Night and commented:
Pure wisdom.
Thank you for sharing with your readers.
My pleasure 🙂
So true, thank you Andrea. ❤ I have walked through deep sadness and self-judgment and it has given me so much. I love myself (which is an amazing statement to make) and am so grateful to practicing forgiveness to help me work my process.
Just was looking at a Buddha quote, "Our sorrows and wounds are healed when we touch them with compassion." Your post reminds me of this. Thank you! I really appreciate you, Andrea. Debbie
You always bring so much depth to my posts Debbie. Thank you for sharing your journey from suffering to strength experience. Your willingness to move through your pain encourages us to do the same.
Love the Buddha quote! A compassion mantra to live by.💚🍃
Loved the post!
Truly well said 🙂
Made my day, thanks!
Awesome! And now you’ve made my day!
Thanks Ilya 💫
What a great positive post, and I love it.
Thanks for your encouraging feedback!
Life is struggle. Like a butterfly battling to exit the chrysalis…it’s wings strengthens…
Beautiful metaphor. And so true. Stay safe & settle. Or struggle & grow wings. I choose to fly. 🦋
Oh so true! When life throws it’s lemons.. we have a choice to let the lemon knock us flat or to energise us… Thank you! xx
Lemons that energize us! Love that! In the end, choice = empowerment. Something we should never give away. The lemon metaphor is a great reminder. Thanks Wendy! I always love hearing from you. 🍋💚
Thanks so much! I love hearing from you too!! I’ve been a ‘bit off line’ recently following a bereavement and hopefully I’ll be back up to speed soon. Much appreciated and thanks for your patience. x
Slowing down is a sign of strength. Especially during the death of a loved one. I have all the patience in the world for you Wendy. Sending you healing love. 💖
Thank you so much I truly appreciate your love and support! xx
Your posts are always so enlightening! I just completed pre-posting a blog entry that talks about this very topic as it pertains to my journey from being thin to overweight to thin again. Reader’s Digest version: it’s been weird and a roller coaster of emotions. The one constant: I always try to remain optimistic and persevere through whatever life is throwing at me.
Thank you for the feedback!
I love how you share the vulnerability of your weight loss journey AND your strengths that have developed because of it + pulled you through.
Important lessons for us all.
Thanks for this reminder that strength develops through pain! And that pain is an opportunity to be stronger. 😀
You are so welcome Nicolle!
And I’ll suggest you take it one step further..
STRENGTHS CHALLENGE IN EVERYDAY LIFE
1. Take an inventory of your “Top 3 Strengths”.
2. Also: Ask your friends & family to do this for you too. Their answers might surprise you!
3. Combine their answers with yours & trace them back in time to pain / challenges that built these strengths of yours.
4. Post your history of “From Pain to Strength” timeline on your wall or bathroom mirror. And use it as inspiration the next time you experience adversity. You, like all of us, have survived (and thrived because of) challenge. Don’t forget that! This is your badge of honour. Your victory. Big & small.
Mantra during adversity =
This pain is “My Strength in Training” 💫
Thanks for taking the time to write the detailed extra step! ❤️
😊😊😘
Beautiful!
Thanks Sam! 😊
Thanks for the simple reminders about strength through adversity.
The tired cliche of “no pain, no gain.” doesn’t need to be a battle cry for martyrdom , rather as you aptly remind us, we can learn and grow from our pain.
In fact, that may be why we experience it in the first place.
Cheers!
Shawn.
I love your interpretation on this post! Thanks Shawn. Your wisdom gives me one more glimmer of hope in our shared trials & tribulations of this so called life. I look forward to exchanging insights. Have a wonderful day! Andrea ☀️
Wow, I’m amazed. Good thing you have been encouraging people with your words. I’m a Psychology student 🙂
Wishing you great success as a psychology student! 📖
Absolutely!
We often despair about adversity instead of seeing what it can lead to and follow that path.
You put it perfectly and you are inspiring my next aphorism!
Thank you for sharing! 🤗
My pleasure B! 💃💥
Especially knowing my post inspired one of yours!
You always inspire me dearest 🤗🤗🤗
So very true. As cliched as it sounds, it’s only through the darkness that we can find the light. Great reminders.
Agreed Miriam! Cliches. Quotes. Memes. Interestingly enough seem to be the wisdom of our times. Thanks for reading! I always love hearing from you.
When we fall we must not stay down but learn, get up and press on. Great inspiration, Andrea!
My pleasure Syl. Wishing you a week filled with sunshine! ☀️
Thank you and appreciated. Wishing you the same ! 🌞
Andrea, thank you so much for another beautiful and encouraging post! Your words are very helpful today…..
“This pain is “My Strength in Training”
“Slowing down is a sign of strength.”
Much love to you Marie. And a great big virtual hug. Please know how much I value your reflections on my blog. You are stronger than you’ll ever know. 💝
Thank you so much Andrea… what a kind & encouraging message… fighting back tears here!
So true. All lessons hopefully learned, and I believe once a person realizes this they won’t regret the past or fear the future.
Well said Michele!