I think that these struggles happen to remind us that things are not in our control, that they are out of our hands. Not only that, but there is a divine plan that is in place, that helps make sure that all things work for our good.
Sometimes it is the pain or the hard lesson that makes us appreciate the simple things in life more. I feel a great sense of gratitude. This change in attitude has made me reflect. And I asked myself, "Why did I not find other things to be grateful for?"
I think when we are barely surviving, it is hard to think beyond that. We want to make it through the day, and we are hoping that everything that we need to be taken care of will be. I can't speak for everyone, but when I am under a lot of stress, I begin to perform worse. Things that would usually be easy for me suddenly become burdensome. I tend to become ultra focused on certain things, like work and school. It is like I somehow believe that by driving harder at what needs done, I will be able to avoid or ignore the other issues. It never works, so I am not sure why I waste time and energy doing it. It is when I take time for myself, relax, and serve others that my capacity to do the regular things increases. I think that there must be something to slowing down, and taking time. Look at a flower for example, it doesn't start out blooming. It takes its time slowly pushing through the soil, and working its way through simply growing. Then, eventually it blooms. And this process repeats in a cycle for its entire life. While I do not think that our blossoms every truly fade, I do think that we experience growth over and over again. Perhaps, if we just took the time to enjoy the journey, and accept that life is not something we can push forward, we'd be happier.
I am also realized, that the more that I focus on what I am grateful for, the blessings in my life, the better life seems to be. I still have the same stresses, but because I am focused on all that is good, they do not burden me the same as when all I am focusing on is stresses and taking care of them. So, I figured that while I am having this "ah ha" moment, that I would share it with others. Who knows, maybe you are stressed and are almost to your limit, and you are wondering how you are going to make it through this moment. Go do something small for someone else, even if it is just telling them something you like about them. Take some time to relax. So, you have something to do, or somewhere to be, it is OK to say no and take the time that you need for you. You will be much more effective, when you make sure that you are performing at your optimum. And that means, focusing on blessings rather than what is not ok, or is not getting done.
