Lessons & Time in the Shadows
We all go through hard times, but yet we often don’t feel comfortable talking about it for various reasons. Perhaps we don’t want to look weak, over-share, or burden others with our troubles. In today’s society, pleasure, feeling or even just looking happy seems to be cultural expectation and pressure. However, sometimes faking it until you make it just doesn’t work. The feelings that come to us during the hardest times need our attention - but no more than what it necessary.
No one wants to look like the weak link; this is often true for most men. Feeling down or sad can cause us to feel like our dignity is at risk for damage because we’re having a hard time to cope. However, no one is self-sufficient. Even wise men know that they need to have instruction and guidance. It isn’t realistic or practical for people to dive head first into the world and try to project their narrow-minded view into how things work.
While it’s great to be confident with one’s self, it’s equally important to listen. It’s also important to allow yourself to be wrong. There’s no shame in being wrong. Thoughtful discussion goes a long way towards saving dignity, as well as providing an opportunity for growth.
Time for introspection is good, but isolation should be avoided. If we’re going through hard times and find ourselves going around in circles, then we’d best open up to at least one person about it. Even if they don’t have any advice, simply hearing yourself speaking your mind helps to find release.
While it may initially feel like we’re being weak because we have troubles, it’s quite natural to have difficulties. We should have difficulties – it means we’re growing. We often give breaks to our closest friends, family, and those who we admire, but don’t give the same room for error to ourselves.
We’re really no different than the best the world has to offer. The people who are successful are successful because they weren’t afraid to fail, mess up, take risks, and have hard times. We’re only weak if we give up or pretend to ignore the problem, therefore stunting our growth for improvement.
A lesson in the shadows is an important lesson to be learned. It’s far better to struggle with a problem and come out more knowledgeable than it is to be happy and naïve. Feeling happy is not life’s ultimate goal, and it won’t lead to real joy. However, progress and development can lead us to maturity and peace. Happy is just a relative state of being – maturity, peace, and development are more permanent once obtained. Do the most you can to take on the hard times – the rain always clears eventually.
For further related reading, please check out: What Do You See?
