We sometimes shield ourselves from the challenges of life because most of us don’t like pain. Life changes elevate my stress levels and the slightest aches sends me looking for a Tylenol. Unfortunately, life is full of roller coasters that come in different ways such as physical, mental, relationships, or financial challenges. Normalizing these life challenges can teach us how to deal with life’s difficult moments because resiliency can only be built from these difficult moments.
So next time a child cries or says something hurts, assure them it is not good to suppress those feelings and use that as a teaching moment about self-care strategies, provide empathy, and open avenues of communication. The hope is that as we continue to face challenges we can work on solutions that teach us to build resiliency which is vital for our mental health. The struggle will definitely be real; it’s not going to be easy.
Let us remind ourselves that there is a time for everything including life’s dark moments which I am constantly reminded of by one of my favorite bible verses:
1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace (Ecclesiastes 3:1 -8 From the New International Version)
As hard as it is for some of us to hear, tough moments are part of this life and relevant to building resiliency. This will be a step-by-step process with possible pitfalls but keep your eyes on the goal, see how far you have come, and take one more step, just one more step.
Build resiliency. Self care. Empathy. Communication. Step by step