Estimated Reading Time: 5 mins
This happens to be my favourite topic of discussion when it comes to self-development and growth because of the magnitude of it’s power in an individual’s life.
We hear it all the time that it doesn’t matter if you fall, it’s how you get back up. There will never be a bigger motivator in your life than you.
Image by allan-mas/pexels
I heard Dr Myles Munroe say, we have every skill we’ll ever need to live at our full potential. God has installed within each of us, every necessary tool for our life to be a success.
I didn’t really understand what this meant until I came up against calamities. That’s when I realised how epically powerful it is, to recover from disaster and more so when you don’t just recover, but excel beyond your own expectations.
Image by alinaskazka/pexels
Picture your life as a sculpture in it’s original state. It hasn’t yet been manufactured and designed to completion. You’re simply a mass pile of clay. You’re born and the sculpture begins a slow formation across the span of your life.
The manufacturer carries out each element of design, according to your life’s progress and biological growth. As you grow, the formation of the sculpture continues.
Whenever calamity hits, a piece of your sculpture is damaged and breaks away. If you allow the calamity to defeat you mentally and emotionally, cracks begin to form around the original area of damage. Those cracks worsen and impede on the progress of your overall sculpture.
For as long as you remain in a defeatist mindset, the sculpture then also begins to gradually become disfigured.
Image by cottonbro/pexels
At some point in time, let’s say you decided to change your perception. A new calamity arises in your life and on this occasion, you’ve refused to allow it to affect you in the way previous calamities have.
You decide to act and deal with the issue at hand to the best possible resolve. The situation has gone from potentially bad, to effectively managed. You’ve grown in resilience.
This area of your sculpture may have initially suffered damage, but your actions have meant a fortified area of repair that is rigorously robust, with it’s appearance like brand new.
So, in simpler terms, what am I trying to explain here?
Image by tima-miroshnichenko/pexels
When you continue to apply resilience and bounce back from hardships, you become mentally stronger. My mother would always say, experience may be extremely unpleasant, but it’s the greatest teacher.
We’re told never to touch a naked flame because of how it may hurt us, but when you experience a burn, the lesson resonates more effectively. Being burnt wasn’t pleasant but we now know with absolute surety, that we will avoid a naked flame at all costs.
Caving into life’s pressures can diminish your sense of self. You run the risk of sinking into self-pity, mood disorders like depression or anxiety, heightened emotional sensitivity and not being able to move forward with life. This is effectively, because the calamity has scarred you.
This was the area of your sculpture that was damaged and broken away. When you practice this lifestyle of brokenness whether consciously or unconsciously, it festers into your life and negatively affects your perspective, self-worth and mental toughness.
These were the formed cracks resulting from the initial damage. Your self-esteem and self-confidence then become negatively affected – where the sculpture appeared mildly disfigured.
Image by cottonbro studio/pexels
Bouncing back from difficulties, fortifies your ability to recover from situations and allows productive personal growth. Each time you grow in this way, you become mentally strengthened, more equipped and capable.
This is why, this area of the sculpture, I described as being fortified, rigorously robust and appearing brand new. In essence, this is what happens. You develop, become better, stronger and consequently grow in self-confidence being more assured of yourself. It’s the unravelling of your true capabilities.
Image by freepik
As I’ve ventured and continued to grow in this journey, I started to suffer from imposter syndrome (for which I’ve gone into detail in this specific blog post). The truth is, it’s not being an imposter, it’s the unravelling of your true self.
Consistency has helped me become more accustom with this version of myself. The me that God intended me to be. He gave me the skills, I found them and have learnt how to utilise them to my benefit. Consequently, I’ve improved as a person, and evolved in the right direction.
Life calamities will always play a part in our lives because that’s how life goes. Having the ability to bounce back is what plays a major role in determining our future quality of life.
If you choose to get back up, strike back at life disasters by pressing forward regardless, you’ll build a mental fortitude that separates the winners from the losers.
Image by boom/pexels
I’ll end here by asking you a question. One day, when you leave the earth, how do you want your sculpture to look? Think about it – maybe you’re already on the right track or perhaps you have room for improvement.
The idea is, you must keep getting better as you continue to grow. That way, you’ll leave the world having given all you were capable of. What a momentous way to leave your mark.
Whatever happens, always choose, to bounce back.
