Adversity is only as difficult as you allow it to be!

There has been a term around since 1997 coined "Adversity Quotient".  This basically states our capacity to deal with adversities or how we respond to challenges.  We all handle change and challenges differently as we process the information at different levels.  What is your level of adversity?  How do you respond to challenges that face you?  Have you ever observed a situation where an issue hits several individuals at the same time?  What happens?  Some of the individuals begin to panic, others get stressed to some degree and yet others take an "I can do" attitude.  But weren't they all hit with the same issue?

We determine the degree of difficulty in our issues we face based on our approach.  We either can allow the issue to consume us or we can accept the issue and consume it.  Let me give you an example:  I was 20 years old and had just finished the Spring semester at college.  I was out riding my bike on an 8 mile trek prior to going to work on the Friday before Memorial Day Weekend.  I was about 8 blocks from home when a major issue occurred  in my life.  The front wheel of my bike released and I immediately found myself sliding down the street on my face and then flipping a few times.  I stood up thinking I was going to have a huge burn on my face.  I couldn't see out my right eye, but decided to lightly touch my face.  I found that my hands immediately slid on my skull and that teeth and flesh were not where they were supposed to be.  The blood began to flow intensely. I was about to panic when a voice told me I was okay and to lay down face first in the grass.  I was immediately cared for.  I began attempting to tell jokes to those at my aid.  Lets fast forward to the hospital.  As they were moving me from the "cart" to the x-ray table, the power went out and they almost dropped me.  I began laughing as much as I could.  My thoughts looked at the humor of what was going to happen next.  I had no choice as the accident had occurred and I couldn't change that, but I could change the future outcomes.  The next day I walked into the bathroom.  As I was going to wash my hands, I was going to see myself for the first time.  I had thousands of stitches in my face and inside my mouth.  I had my jaws wired and was in intense pain.  I slowly began to move my face toward the mirror so that I could see the end result.  I remember that moment distinctly as I was about to see what I had been dealt.  When I first saw the image, I couldn't believe it and had to decide how I was going to handle it.  What could I do?  Could I change anything?  What was my level of adversity?  I exited the bathroom with my friend waiting to help me back to the hospital bed.  He looked at me with a face of deep concern.  I sighed and with a tone of disappointment I said, "I wish it was October and Halloween.  I have the perfect mask!"  We both laughed or I laughed as much as I could without ripping the stitches.  That was it.  I had to move forward.  The next year found me facing more and more challenges because of this one bike ride.  To this day I still have issues, but know that I have a life and a story to share in order to help others.

You see.  We all face challenges and issues throughout our lives.  No matter how big or how small, it is our approach that will get us through it.  We need to take on the challenge knowing that we will use our experience someday to help another.  When I hear someone say, "Things happen for a reason", I know it is true.  We may never lose the pain or the continued challenges because of a situation, but we must learn to continue to move forward.  We can't change what has happened, so why worry about yesterday.  We can only change tomorrow through our actions today, so why worry about tomorrow.  You see, I could have become depressed and created a life of depression because of that one split second in my life.  I chose, just as you should choose, to find a way to continue my life with confidence and knowing that I will make a difference in someone else's life.  Please look at your ability to handle the challenges you face in life.  You have a choice.  What level is your adversity quotient?  Will you find the good that comes from everything we face in life?  Will you work through the hurt and find the reason? Or, will you quit, become addicted to some drug and self medicate, or make excuses?  Choose life and look at the challenges to help you grow and become a beacon for others in this life.

I want to hear your story, share your pain and help you overcome your obstacles and turn them into opportunities.  Go to my website at www.thetajlgroup.com and contact me today!  Choose to live!