If you put somebody through tremendous hardship, most people will be broken by that. But the people that don’t break become capable of the extraordinary.
(Impact It Theory- Interview with Laila Ali)
Growing up it seem like I never got anything easy. It seemed like I had to work hard for everything. There was always some extra spin that was put on something that did not allow me to achieve things like everyone else. I remember complaining to my grandmother… “Why do I have to always get things the hard way?” She would answer, “It just makes you stronger when you have to go through things or work harder than others.” I would respond, “Well, let me be weak and not go through anything!”
Well of course, that was my young mindset complaining. As I got older, I began to understand that my grandmother was right. I started to see the strength that I was developing over time. When I would see people having trouble dealing with what appeared to me to be minor problems, I could not understand it. But I begin to understand that maybe they had been privileged in many ways or they just had not experienced the same hardships I had during their lifetime.
In hindsight, I started to appreciate the challenges of my past, because they helped me to become the woman I am today. My challenges helped me to develop a muscle that would not have been developed without going through hard times. Each new hardship I experienced required a stronger muscle than the one that was needed before.
I am not saying that I like going through hardships or tough times now, because I don’t!
I am simply saying that when you look back on your hardships, you will find that even the tough times created the tools and wisdom for you to persevere in life.
Trusting God and Having Faith
For me I learned about God at an early age. I learned it in reverse. In my spirit, I did not believe that the behavior I witnessed by “religious people” was actually biblical. So, I made a point to read the Holy Bible for myself. In my readings I learned a lot about love, trusting God, and having faith. As I started to implement the biblical teachings, I could see the promises of God manifesting in my life. Those principles became my foundation for overcoming tough times. Trusting God and having faith is a part of my personal testimony. I cannot describe one success I have achieved without mentioning how trusting God and having faith was a part of that journey.
Getting to the other side.
When you get to the other side and you see that you are still standing, it gives you an indescribable amount of confidence that you have the strength to go on.
If you can go on, you have the ability to be extraordinary!
