We all struggle. Or, we are all involved in an adventure. Which way do you say it, to describe the challenges (or hardness) of life?
If we consider our struggle thru a lens of adventure, what does that change? What would need to change to view things through that lens?
I had an interesting conversation recently about the challenges we face in life. After discussing things a bit, we agreed that, at one point or another, we each have to face the question of who we want to be in challenging circumstances — whether the situation changes or not, whether somebody who should do something about it does or not, whether it is fair or not, whether we like it or not. Who do we want to be?
Viewing things that are challenging as an adventure can shift our sense of it from something (unnecessarily or unfairly) imposed on me to something that I can accept, work with, and determine how I can (want to) be in the middle of it. I can view it as something I can grow from, rather than as something that is stealing from me. In other words, the agency of the power involved can transition — from resentment and not asking the next question to acknowledging how powerless we feel and asking the next question.
"I have to pass an important test. I have so many bills. I don't know what my child needs. My relationships aren't working. I don't know what is happening or why. I am so tired. I don't know what my future holds..." — things we all can catch ourselves saying.
So, who do I want to be? ...in whatever adventure I may be facing right now. Am I losing or growing?
Sometimes when you're in a dark place you think you've been buried, but actually you've been planted.
-- Christine Caine
