|
|
|
Welcome back to the Growing Tree of Life, our weekly exploration of personal growth and well-being.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Issue Number: #081
Date: 13 August 2024
Reading Time: 4 minutes
|
Embrace the Cracks
Have you ever wondered why bad things happen to us?
|
We all experience challenges and hardships at random times, leaving us shattered. But could it be that these bad experiences are necessary for our growth? Without them, would we develop as needed?
|
Take a plant or tree seed with a hard shell.
|
Unless that shell cracks open, the seed will never grow into a plant or tree. The same applies to us. We need to endure pain that cracks our shell, allowing life to emerge. Hard experiences are essential for this reason.
|
Inside the seed, there is darkness. The sun never shines in until the shell cracks. Through these cracks, light enters, exposing our soul and revealing hidden parts of ourselves, bringing joy in the process.
|
|
|
|
Could it be that without experiencing pain, we wouldn't appreciate happiness?
|
|
Both psychological and physical pain play a role in our lives. Some pains linger, but they make us more appreciative of comfort and happiness when they come.
|
Think about any hero in a story. Every hero faces turbulence and challenges, they shape them into who they become. Similarly, life's problems help us grow.
|
The next time you face difficult times, remember that they too will pass. What you learn from them will help you grow and become more yourself. Pain reveals your true self to the world. How?
|
Imagine this: a man stands with a cup of tea near a door in the kitchen. A co-worker opens the door, bumps into him, causing him to spill tea on himself. Why did he spill tea? Was it because someone banged into him, or was it because he had tea in his cup? If it were coffee, he would have spilled coffee. What does this tell us?
|
|
|
|
When going through tough times, whatever is inside you will spill over.
|
|
If anger spills out, it means you're holding onto anger inside. The light entering through cracks shows what you need to work on. Focusing on why you have anger can reveal issues from your past that need addressing.
|
This self-examination is crucial if you want to become the best version of yourself. If you're reading this, I believe you're one of those who want to grow and fulfil your potential.
|
When your shell cracks, it always causes pain. Those cracks and resulting pain are necessary. Think about Jesus's resurrection after three days of darkness following his crucifixion. He had to endure pain and darkness before rising again.
|
Or take an acorn. It must be buried in darkness and drowned to start its life. When it cracks open the acorn grows into a tree. But that tree consumes the acorn entirely in the process. The new tree grows but there is nothing left of the acorn. The same happens to you when you start growing. The old you? It will die in the pain of birthing something new.
|
|
|
|
Embrace the cracks in your life. They are important.
|
|
Bad experiences, while difficult, reveal hidden strengths you didn't know you had. Just as the seed’s shell must break for life to emerge, your struggles can expose your inner strength.
|
Overcoming difficulties builds resilience and makes you better equipped to handle future obstacles. Each challenge you face makes you stronger.
|
Experiencing pain can also enhance your empathy. How? It allows you to understand and support others going through similar issues. In this way, painful experiences not only aid your growth but also enable you to help others.
|
A happy life is created from pain; it doesn't happen on its own. We must go through pain to achieve relief and a better life.
|
Remember the man with the cup of tea. When things crash against you like a door into that chap, whatever spills out is what's inside you. Use this as an opportunity to examine what's actually inside and why it's there.
|
|
|
|
Just like an acorn buried in darkness must push through hard soil before reaching sunlight and growing into a tree, we must endure hardships if we aim to achieve growth.
|
|
Today's Tip:
When bad things happen, use them to grow rather than letting them use you.
|
|
|
How can this be the best thing that happened to me?
How can I use this to improve my or someone else's life?
|
|
Genuinely try to find answers. You will be amazed at how it will transform your viewpoint and what you might find.
|
That’s all for today. Thank you for reading, and see you next Tuesday.
|
|
What you can do next:
- Did you find the content valuable?
Do you know someone who could benefit from information like this?
Please forward the email to them.
- Have you been forwarded this email?
Do you like it?
Here is the link you can use to subscribe.
The Growing Tree of Life newsletter is sent out every Tuesday.
Reading time is usually 4 minutes or less.
- The Tree of Life Quest website is a resource for you-centred personal development. Check it out.
- Do you have questions, comments, suggestions or complaints?
I would LOVE to hear from you.
You can reply to this email or use the Contact me Form.
- Follow me on X (Twitter) or Facebook for posts about personal growth, life improvement and occasional threads with tips and tools you can use.
(Note: I don't post on other platforms too much. Yet.)
- If you want to unsubscribe from the Growing Tree of Life newsletter, the link is at the bottom of the newsletter.
Lubo
|
|
|
|
|
Share this with your friends.
|
|
     
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
