Overcoming Adversity

There are those who say life is like a sprint or a marathon. I say it often feels like a sprint combined with a boxing match because we are not only running but we are getting hit along the way. Every day we face challenges and obstacles that feel like we are getting hit with left jabs and right hooks. Sure we have goals but many folks could care less. We have dreams that others can't see. We have a vision that only plays on our mind's DVD... no one else's. We have hopes for our relationships, our families, our careers. But then BAM. WAK. BAM. We're hit again and we loose our footing.

Negative comments from relatives, energy vampires at work, tax bills, rejections, challenging customers, difficult children, self doubt and problematic relationships all take their toll on us. Now more than ever it is imperative to build our mental and emotional muscle to overcome life's adversity. Just as a boxer and football player need to train their body to compete we need to train our minds to develop the mental and emotional strength to withstand the barrage that life can often bring.

In the academy award winning movie, Million Dollar Baby, Maggie had a vision for her life. She knew with the right training she could be a champion. She received that training and the crowds cheered her name. So I ask you, what could you accomplish with the right training to overcome the adversity, the challenges, and the negativity in your life? What would you achieve if self doubt didn't stop the flow of positive energy in your life?

We'll never be able to change others-only they can change themselves. And we'll never have a challenge- free life. What we must do is develop and train ourselves. We must reach a point where our positive energy, vision, enthusiasm and trust are greater than anyone's negativity or any one challenging event. Our certainly must become greater than their doubt.

So how do we do this? We start by exercising and building our trust muscles. Trust doesn't just occur by osmosis. Rather with our gift of free will we must make the decision to trust. It is a choice. We must build and cultivate trust in ourselves and in a bigger plan for our life. It is a choice I know well. A few years ago when I was miserable with my life-taking a daily beating from stress and fear-I finally made the decision to trust. I came up with a mantra and I started saying it every day and throughout the day. In fact, I still say this daily.

Say it with me. "I trust that everything happens for a reason. I trust that great things are happening." I find the less I fear and the more I trust, the more my life flows. Try it and see for yourself. Saying this mantra each day is like me giving you a 10lb barbell and you lifting it. In response to your exercise you build more muscle. When you trust you activate the part of your brain associated with higher brain functioning and you deactivate your amygdala, the part of your brain associated with fear and stress. The more you do this exercise the more automatic and stronger the response becomes.

So when you are faced with a fearful or stressful situation instead of fear hijacking your thoughts and mind, your trust muscles will be flexed and dominate your thought process. Instead of your thoughts saying, "What are we going to do, this is bad, I can't handle this, it's hopeless, why me, what's going to happen tomorrow," you will trust and say, "Calm down, relax, everything is going to work out, it always does, I can handle it, and I trust that great things are happening." This is not rah rah motivational stuff. This is the latest research in neuroscience and positive psychology applied to our daily lives. Research shows that building your trust muscles will help you make better decisions at work and at home. It will help you reduce stress. You will flow instead of fight each day. And most importantly your trust and faith will energize you to take on each day, each challenge and each situation one trusting belief at a time. Trust that great things are happening and they will.

Action Steps

· Throughout the day repeatedly say, "Great things are happening."

· When you are faced with an obstacle or stressful situation practice the following technique. Stop and focus on your breathing. Say the mantras, "I trust that great things are happening," and "Everything happens for a reason." Do this for a few minutes until you feel calm and mentally clear. Then, deal with the situation. Continue to breathe deeply while you handle the problem. You'll be amazed at how problems dissolve when you flex your trust muscles.

May your day be filled with boundless energy!
- Jon