My Best Self 101 Blog
While none of us enjoy setbacks, it’s important to remember that on the journey of life, every challenge is a stepping stone towards personal growth. While facing adversity is never easy, it can significantly transform you, shaping a more resilient, insightful, and compassionate individual. Today, My Best Self 101 explores how the obstacles we encounter can lead to profound personal transformation and ultimately, a richer, more fulfilling life.
As a child growing up on a cattle ranch nestled in the Northeastern Idaho mountains, grit was a physical presence. Grit was the wind blowing dust and debris into my eyes, nose, and mouth. Grit was the ring around my ankles and between my toes when pulling off crusty socks. Grit was sand and dirt in every bite of a sandwich pulled from saddlebags during a long cattle drive. Grit was everywhere, covering everything, as persistent as the smell of fresh manure. It was washed off in freezing mountain streams during hot July summers and again in steaming showers at the end of long, hard days.
Why am I like this? My thoughts move at 100 miles per second. I’m dumb, I’m not capable, I’m not beautiful enough. I am too lazy. The people around me seem to have everything together all the time. There is no escaping this anxious, stressful reality. My spiral begins to feel uncontrollable and panic sets in. Suddenly, my husband walks into the room and tells me I am beautiful and hugs me. He tells me about his day and how he missed my smile. My thoughts ease and I am immediately encircled by his warm, intentional embrace. Feelings of love and comfort rush over my body and the crippling feelings are replaced with encouraging ones. I feel capable, beautiful, and heard. Because I received comfort from my sweet husband, I feel capable of offering the same love to myself. I am reminded of my worth. My confidence grows and I see the miracle of the day.
