OVERCOMING
WITHOUT OVERCOMING
You will overcome your adversities by learning to overcome your attitude. It is how you perceive your adversity—not the adversity—that is hell.
If you can teach yourself to observe—step emotionally out of the unpleasant scene while keeping your feet planted—and watch the unfolding of your obstacle create itself in front of you, you can have complete serenity.
Before your eyes Adversity rules—so back off. It has more power than you do. You do not get to alter the situation by panicking or snarling.
To intimidate the barrier is absurd. It not only has a life of its own, but it could very well be living—like a human obstacle.
Creating a fight, or trying to block the blockage by forcing yourself to unsee it, is absolutely ridiculous. And useless.
Adversity is here whether we like it or not. It’s called Life.
That’s the way it goes, baby—it’s a bitch, aint’ it?
But you can handle it—‘cause you’re stronger than you know...
Imagine—the next time an annoying, time-consuming, expensive, scary, painful, unpredictable Obstacle throws itself on your path—that it’s a performance, a show to entertain and teach you.
You like stories, don’t you? Is it safe to say that most of the greatest stories of all time were laden with obstacles and adversities?
In fact, it seems to me, all the best stories have barriers to climb—and blockades to overcome.
So let’s write a story, shall we? Let’s watch the obstacles unfold themselves before us. As soon as we catch our breaths from our initial shock—which should not exist if we recognize the ongoing necessity of Adversity, and why She’s here (the mother)—we will step outside the situation—the inevitable one—the one that builds before us in the form of a hindrance.
Watch it. Stand back and say nothing. That moment of pause may seem like an eternity—but I promise you, the Obstacle doesn’t care, and it’s only a few seconds anyway.
As soon as your initial reaction takes place, back out of it. Allow your emotions to disconnect from the problem. Do not picture the “obvious” consequences, because very few of us can predict the future.
What is the point of imagining the worst? The worst may come, so do not deny its potential, but remove yourself from trying to exert control over it.
Fighting it will not improve the situation or soften the block—it will make the block more powerful, or seem more powerful.
Avoiding it will not make it suddenly disintegrate, so do not flee the scene.
Stand before it. Be tough. You can do it. It doesn’t own you. You have more power than the damned, uninvited, Obstacle.
You want a good story? Embrace those obstacles, for
Without Obstacles
there is no Adventure.
P.S. Always listen to your Instincts—for they know everything. If they tell you to fight or run, do as they guide. Instincts are here to maintain your life—and your sanity.