USING YOUR STORY TO EMPOWER YOUR FUTURE

It is a fact that life is not a bed of roses, but for many of us it has been a bed of thorns right from the moment they were born and because of this we face more challenges both emotionally and mentally than others. We are not born with the tools to face the challenges that life throws at us, and many times confusion and emotional pain cause us to develop mental health issues that can affect our happiness productivity and outcome of our lives.

It is up to us to teach ourselves to use the challenges in our lives as building blocks and motivation to build a great future. These hurdles that life puts in our path are not meant to make us fall, they are meant to make us learn how to jump higher and eventually achieve greatness. Here are some ways that we can use our stories and situations to build a great future.

See obstacles as building blocks

It is okay to cry when we are met with a setback or remember the hardships that we face in our lives but what we do after crying is most important. We can choose to let our situation define our lives, or we can choose to use it as an inspiration to make something better out of our lives. We must see every challenge as a reason to do something better. “Life is hard and for this reason that I must do this positive and progressive thing, and make the best of my life”

A story is often told of two sons of a drunk, the second son has become a talented artist while the first son has become a drunk and a petty criminal. When they are asked why their life turned out the way it did, they both had the same answer; “Our father was a drunk” So while one son chose to let that fact define his life the other son chose to see that situation as a building block to create the life that he would want his son to have. Be the second son.

Count your blessings

No matter the situation you are facing in your life, always remember that it could be worse and is indeed worse for other people. For this reason, we must always count our blessing and recognize the gifts that life has given us, whether they be skills, talents, health or good friends. We must learn to count our blessings and be grateful daily.

Share your story with others.

It is said that if you want to go fast go alone, but if you want to go far go with people. Be intentional about connecting with people who are facing similar challenges and sharing your fears and feelings, to heal and create positivity. Learn to collaborate and volunteers with people who share the same stories with you and find a way to connect share and collaborate towards a great future.

Practice positivity.

Let’s practice seeing the positive side of life, instead of allowing the negative situation in our life take away all our joy, hope and happiness. Let’s be intentional about smiling, laughing and making affirmative statements that re-enforce our belief in ourselves and our future. Let’s practice positivity by associating with people who have a positive and hopeful outlook about life. Challenges are a constant in life, but the quality of our life will be determined by how we react, let it be positive.

Be inspired by similar stories

There are many great people today who came from situations that are worse than ours and despite their situation they were persistent and disciplined till they achieved greatness. Great musicians, fathers, mothers, doctors, artists, athletes, scientists, entrepreneurs and even politicians who never had parents or a formal education have overcome the hurdles of life and built a great life for themselves. Let us be inspired by their stories and surely, we too can make something great from our lives and future.