Imagine your worst day.
Now imagine preparing for it.
Collecting your thoughts, your finances, your home, and putting them all in a box.
Perhaps the worst won't feel so bad after all?
But now take that metaphorical box and let's say someone drops it from a ten story building. Your belongings, your precious planning all goes flying out the window (literally).
Let's add another factor, time. The most precious element of all.
With all your belongings now scattered across multiple pavements, you have 5 minutes to gather it before that ten story building collapses right on top of you.
You might be asking at this stage why I'm being ever so optimistic. Well, for a lot of us, this past year has felt exactly this way. The stress, the depression, the unknown, the unpredictable nature of health and wealth, all came down upon us like a dark cloud looming above our heads.
In a lot of ways I am proud I managed to survive the most of it without much damage, although my ego and emotional well being has definitely suffered the most. And I'm hoping the fact that you're reading this means you also realize just how lucky we are to have "survived", whatever that may mean to each of us.
However, the point of this post is mainly to confess that while change should usually be welcomed with open arms, I have come to the conclusion that I am not the best at receiving its consequences. I have struggled with accepting that neither I nor others in my circle always have the right answers or control over particular circumstances.
I can say though, that while my anxiety has sky rocketed over the past year and a bit, I have gained a new skill at filtering out certain stress, thickened my skin when it comes to rejection, and accepted the reality of how fragile the human condition is.
End of the day, you must recognize that we are all built to sustain injuries, and will be left with varied wounds, some that will last longer than others, but will eventually heal regardless. That may seem unfair but it all plays a role in determining your journey through life, and how you choose to accept your wounds says a lot about your resilience and self sufficiency. For after all, it is the survival of the fittest, not the wealthiest, smartest or happiest, but the one who can make the sweetest lemonade out of the sourest lemons.