One of my favorite proverbs is "just before the caterpillar thought its life was over, it became a butterfly." I relate that to this process of the struggle in life. Learn to love the struggle. No perfect season could bring you to where you need to be. Transformation only comes from those 'caterpillar moments' and I know when you look back on seasons of your life you will know that to be true.
We can easily become blinded to change around us because we are expecting the changes to be monumental. Sometimes the change that comes is that way but the truth is that most change is subtle. It's happening all around you, magical moments are happening every day in your life. When I look back on my life, it's not the summer time that built my resilience- it's the winter. Some of you might be going through winter right now, and if that's you I want you to ask yourself this one simple question - "what is this creating inside of me that is going to change my life forever and how is this building me?" You might be a caterpillar right now, and you have to know that your wings are coming. Have faith in that. I'm just being real with you.
In those moments of despair give yourself internal grace and know that it is the struggle that creates the strength. Allow them to change your perspective and learn to love the struggle, practice it. Dig up the roots of your negative thoughts when they start to plant in your mind. Challenge them, do not let them become your identity because that is where it starts. This is how you stay intentional with your life, you must continue the battle of engaging in the struggle. Don't take what life throws at you as your only option for living, dig deeper and ask yourself how you can use this experience to your benefit. It's a never ending fight. You can choose to lay down but I promise you that the punches will keep coming. So choose to fight back, choose to learn from the fight and get tougher, faster, wiser and stronger.
You can program your brain to see the world in a different way. Some of us are programmed to only see the world through a negative lense and if that's you then I want you to challenge your thoughts starting today. When you notice yourself resenting joy in yourself and others, ask why and actively change how you interpret that situation so that it works for you and not against you. Love the struggle, it's a game you can win everyday.
It all starts with you.
