Mindset Matters: Growth is Heavy

How to stay positive and motivated during difficult times...

A jolting fact of life is that we are destined to endure difficult times for a myriad of reasons.  There are times when I recognize that without the rough patches in life, we truly would not appreciate the joy in our lives.  Naturally, our response to rough patches are to suppress those uncomfortable emotions and let them seethe while we carry on with life as if we are Teflon, tough as a diamond and can handle anything that comes our way.  In reality, suppression gives room for issues to fester and weight on us until it becomes monstrously heavy.  Reality:  majority of us have grown up without the adequate tools to understand and process our emotions.  As adults, we are aware enough to recognize there is a problem and we seek the help of a professional or we embark on a journey to begin healing and feeling what we have, for so long, pushed to the side while we stay busy just to avoid our own feelings.  

It can be overwhelming to think about taking an introspective journey let alone take accountability where it is needed.  Self-healing can be a bit tumultuous depending on how you process information.  Many have a focused mind while others are experiencing an untamed vastness where an over abundance of neurochemicals and thoughts reside.  It is this realization that supports the fact that external happiness is fleeting.  In those moments we realize that no matter how much we acquire, true joy resides within ourselves.  

I remember when I was totally engrossed in my joy and focused on success, and for 6 years I experienced peace and a relaxed mindset while still embodying a beast mentality.  It made life easier as I navigated business and entrepreneurship while continuing to focus on my family and myself.  Then I encountered a rough patch and before I recognized the crap storm I was in, I found myself trying to remember what it was like when life was peaceful.  Found myself longing for it more times that I care to count.  I realized that I had truly lost myself when it was preventable.  If I had just listened to the inner voice repeatedly telling me NO!, I could have avoided so much pain.

Once I made it to the other side of the chaos, the journey to rebuilding who I was began.  Understanding that you are not who you used to be before that “rough patch” can be sobering and unfamiliar.  YOU. HAVE. CHANGED.  

Here are some key things to remember:

1. The old you is gone, be symbolic and mark the occasion.  

2. Release your feeling in the moments you are overwhelmed.

3. Healing is NOT linear.

4. Trust your instincts.

5. Time is a currency you can only spend once.

6. No matter what path you choose, You've absolutely got this.