Leaning into the struggle

Have you ever had the experience of pushing your body to do something really hard?  Maybe it's running or lifting weights.  Maybe it's being in a zumba class or hiking a steep mountain.  You get to the point where your lungs feel like they're on fire and your legs turn to jello.  For me it's yoga- seeing how long I can hold a pose while my body shakes with the effort.

Isn't it strange that somehow doing something so hard can actually feel good?  I've heard people say "It hurts so good!" as they lean into the struggle and push a little harder. There is something so rewarding about pushing your body to its limits, knowing that the very act of struggling is making you stronger.

So many of us are willing to lean into a physical struggle- we even pay money for opportunities to be physically challenged!  But when it comes to emotional struggles, we want to turn and run!

When situations arise that are emotionally challenging, our brains freak out a little and tell us that something has gone terribly wrong!

When finances are tight, and we have to learn to budget better or figure out how to make more money; when our parenting strategies "aren't working" and we have to dig deep and learn new skills; when there is tension in our relationships that we haven't figured out how to resolve; our brains try to tell us that these are huge problems, and we need to "fix" them right away, so we don't feel so uncomfortable.

But what if those "problems" are the very things that are making us stronger?  What if we could lean into them and feel good, knowing that the reward is going to be SO worth it!

I am not suggesting that we stay stuck, or that we don't try to solve our problems.  I'm suggesting that we shift our thinking a bit.  As we struggle through our challenges, we can recognize that the act of struggling is the very thing that is making us stronger.  I'm suggesting we remind ourselves that it "hurts so good!"

When we "signed up" to come to earth, the scriptures tell us that we shouted for joy at the opportunity!  We couldn't wait to come here and experience THE VERY STRUGGLES that we are experiencing right now.

Yes, sometimes life is really hard, and even painful.  That is part of the plan.  But there is strength and power and joy to be found in the struggle.  I, for one, don't want to miss out on that.


Christi