When I was younger, I had an uncanny way of escaping discomfort. If the course sounded too difficult, I dropped it. If the relationship became tense, I avoided it. I missed growth opportunities because I preferred comfort. Raise your hand if you’ve learned that the struggle is part of the story, and avoiding it prolongs growth. [Raises hand]

We all get tripped up on the difficulties of life; problems are as inevitable as weeds in a garden. Things will get hard and messy. Relationships take work. Weeds are unavoidable. We can lay down all the weed barriers we want, but we will never be able to eliminate all the challenges. We can only control what we take away from the experience. 

In the ordinary journey of our lives, the gift of hardship is that wisdom is a possible byproduct. If we are willing to stick it out, we might be surprised to discover that the lesson we learn was designed to carry us through the next hardship. Sitting through the storm often results in hope for the next leg of the uphill climb we are destined to face. 

Stick it out. Stay the course. Your growth is inevitable.

I am with you, friend.

*Excerpt from Wisdom in the Weeds. Read more here.