3 Inspiring Truths to Help You Through Hard Times

I was browsing the psychology section of a bookstore in 1978 when The Road Less Traveled first hit the shelves. Intrigued by the title, I opened it and read the first line: “Life is difficult.” My immediate reaction was, “This guy knows what he's talking about”--so naturally, I bought the book and it's in my library today.

In 1978, Dr. Peck's statement that “Life is difficult” struck a chord with me—but later in life, I began to see things differently. As a psychotherapist, I had a “backstage pass” into the private details of my clients' lives. I learned from them that in the most challenging times of our lives, we can either intensify our pain or lessen it. We can even use it to transform ourselves from the inside out.

The belief that “Life is difficult” only makes the road we're traveling longer, darker and more difficult to navigate. It's not that life can't be painful and overwhelming at times—but that's exactly when we need to be aware of what our deepest beliefs about life are and make sure they are helping us, not hurting us.

Here are three beliefs to consider when you are feeling the heat from life:

“I am not alone.” You're not on your own if you let others in. It doesn't matter how smart, strong or competent we are; we need each other. Especially when life throws us a curve ball.


 “I am more powerful than I know.” There are times in life when we might feel like giving up—we feel anything but powerful. I've been there and know that firsthand. That's when I needed to realize how strong I really was.


 “I can use this to transform myself and my life.” We have countless examples of this truth, from Helen Keller to Nelson Mandela to sixteen-year-old Malala Yousafzai.

 

-Alan Allard, Leadership Coach/Life Coach
www.alanallard.com