Punishment or Lesson?

I think that it was in the ’90s that there was a bumper sticker that said “S*** Happens”. It’s true and it’s called life. It happens to all of us. There is NO regard for race, creed, religion, or status in life. So, I guess the thing that we have to do is ask ourselves some questions then we can decide how to handle it from there.

Is this that happened to me a punishment or is it a lesson that I need to learn?

In thinking this through, I believe it is a matter of your POV (or Point of View).

If you always feel that it is a punishment, then you probably have a tendency to blame others for the cause. It’s more likely that you will continue to make the same mistakes over and over. Then yes, it is a punishment but it’s actually a punishment of your own making. The reality is that you have to change your behavior or you risk repeating the same behavior over and over again, which in the long run changes nothing. It’s a choice. You can either keep riding the Ferris wheel or choose to get off. You have to look within to make a change. Fear is what keeps you from escaping.

If you believe that it is a lesson then you most likely have a tendency to look at what you have done wrong and what you can learn from it. It’s the belief that change only occurs when you have learned something and have grown as a person. Trust me when I say that it’s never easy. If it was easy then we wouldn’t have so many problems, would we?

Yes, bad things happen and sometimes those things are not your fault at all and must be dealt with through doctors or the police/law or therapy. Just realize that you aren’t alone. EVERYONE has problems. Don’t let those who post things on social media always fool you into thinking that their life is perfect and they have no issues. If you can get that mindset in your head then it may help you to see your problem as not so bad, totally fixable, and may just an annoyance that you have to look at it as a “This too shall pass.” moment.

So, what did I learn from this? When I take the rose-colored glasses off, I tend to see the world and people how they genuinely are…….flawed. I can’t fix them, I can only fix myself (and sometimes I can’t fix myself at all either!) That is the lesson I’ve learned and am continuing to learn. It’s a constant conversation that I have with myself. So, I get it completely! I know that as long as I keep working on my mental improvement then I can become so much stronger than ever before. I also know that I will have my up and down moments in this life journey. When I’m at my lowest, I turn to God and give it to Him and when I’m on top of the mountain, I make sure to give God a VERY BIG thank you for getting me through!!

What can you gain from this? Courage. It doesn’t mean that you won’t ever be fearful of making a mistake. No, it means that you can grow through it and become better. You will still see the flaws and be okay with them. Also, learn to laugh at yourself. It’s amazing how many fun things I can find out about myself and others that help me to get through the day. Try and see if that works for you as well.