I want to put in a good word for the bad stuff, since everywhere we see these days we encounter bad news and tough things people are going through.
In no way am I saying that losing a loved one to a pandemic falls into this category of bad stuff that happens to us. This post is about the general adversity that is part of our daily lives or even the harder stuff we dealt with in 2020, like an illness, or a failure or an obstacle towards reaching our goals or botched plans.
I’ve talked about this in my earlier posts but I want to talk about it more.
Society puts such a premium on the good, positive life affirming happy shiny stuff that we become idealistic and our expectations of life become so unrealistic and so unachievable that the very happiness and joy we search becomes completely out of reach.
The truth that no school, no parent, nor any publication (except for this one :)) has the guts to tell us when we are growing up, is that life is 50/50. Make room for the bad, please make room for the bad and let’s stop demonizing the bad stuff that happens to us.
Because if we look objectively, clearly and logically the bad stuff is the ONLY stuff that reveals the AWESOME in us. It tells us how strong we are, it tells us how whatever we thought our limit was, was very limited and now we have a new MUCH larger space within us to share with the world.
The bad stuff that happens is how we can deeply connect with each others human experience. And connection is a human given need, everyone needs connection to literally survive.
The rough patches show us who shows up for us, how they take care of us, how good they are to us and hence who our tribe truly consists of.
The bad stuff also shows us how we didn’t die of adversity, hence making us braver going forward because we now know how resilient we truly are.
So let’s celebrate the bad stuff – why not.
Let’s write a love letter to every bad thing that has happened to us.
And give thanks where thanks is due.
So here’s how it would go for me post 2020.
The lockdowns and a year of ill health have woken me up to how badly I was treating myself physically, emotionally and relationally – I needed that slap from the universe in order to create a whole new mentality towards my body, my mind, my heart and the people I let into my life so thank you universe for the awareness and the reset that was much needed for the progress that I have set my sights on for the next decade of my life.
Sending you love and light
Hawra.
