Good Morning,
Welcome new recipients!
Over this rough winter we have been forced to thicken our skin and put up with some less than perfect living conditions, some even had to endure down right medieval conditions. It is these rough times when we have to roll up our sleeves and get tough. It is these times when we find out what we are made of.
Sometimes the tough times come from difficult situations, the bad economy, lost jobs and lost money. It is exactly these times where we need to make the decision if we are going to stand up and be the person we were meant to be or are we going to cower into a fetal position, sucking our thumbs and waiting for the danger to pass (I know, a bit extreme, but what an image!).
What do we do when tough times come upon us? The first things I do are pray and ask for prayers; never under-estimate the power of prayers. The next thing I do is find a solution. It can be either a direct or creative solution. Direction solutions are tackling issues head on, going from A to B, and keep it up until you get the job done. Creative solutions are, well, creative. Benjamin Franklin had a creative solution for when his printing business in
Benjamin Franklin invited them all over to his house with a formal printed invitation. Curious, these folks came to see what Mr. Franklin had in store. At the dinner table, he served everyone a bowl of some powdery substance. He then poured water into his bowl, mixed it up and started eating voraciously. When the person next did the same he nearly gagged on the stuff. When asked what it was, Franklin stated that it was sawdust and that no matter how hard they tried to push him out of business, he was going to survive, because he could survive on sawdust alone. The people backed off and he was back in business.
Being tough is not always easy, but we all have it within ourselves to do it. Some folks face adversity and crumble. Some, having been through tough times several times start growing thicker skin and can weather the storm. Some folks need others to stand with them. Whatever it is that helps you stand up to face rough times, get familiar with them, and don’t be afraid to use them. Get out of your comfort zone, on your terms, and build up your experience and mettle. Try something new, do something you are a bit fearful on in a safe environment.
You can also find symbols of strength to help guide you. It may be God or a movie hero, a comic book hero, or even an item. I remember when I broke both legs in a construction accident in 1995 when a small building collapsed on me. During the ride to the emergency room, without any pain medications, I asked one of the volunteers on the ambulance to write the word “OUCH!” on the whiteboard above my stretcher. Then every time we hit a bump or pothole, I grimaced in pain and pointed to the sign. The sign gave me strength to tough out the pain.
Prepare for rough times and find symbols of strength and when the tough times come, and you will be better able to face the hardships with dignity and courage. We can get better at facing tough times. Remember years ago when a flat tire was the end of the world. What would you do, who would help you, who can you call, what am I going to do now, etc... Now its a minor inconvenience. Also, there are many examples of everyday people who have toughed it out and gotten through. Learn from them, and apply those lessons to yourself and you will find that those tough times are not that tough anymore.
We can tough it out. Have faith in yourselves, I do.
Enjoy!
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