When Adversity Hits, It is What Is Inside That Counts

"When you squeeze an orange, orange juice comes out — because that's what's inside. When you are squeezed, what comes out is what is inside."

~Dr. Wayne Dyer

All of us are "squeezed" at some point in our lives.  Adversity hits and it is in those times that we demonstrate what we are made of inside.  Do we respond with courage?  Do we respond with integrity?  What do we do to rise above it?  How you respond in times of adversity can say a lot about your character and values.  For some people, adversity brings out the best in them; in others, it brings out the worst.   What is inside you?

This week:  Examine this question by remembering a time when you faced some sort of adversity.  Remember how you handled it.  What would you want to change about how you handled it?  How would you handle that same situation if it happened to you today, knowing what you know now and having all the resources you currently have?  How do you feel about how you would handle the situation today?  If there is something you would want to change, look carefully at what that is.  What would you need to be able to do differently?  How can you get to the point where you would be able to do it?  Is there something you need to learn?  A skill you need to develop?  A value you need to keep in mind?  Assistance you need from others?  How can you become more congruent in your responses so that you would be able to respond to adversity in a way that demonstrates who you are (and who you want to be)?   Begin to develop those resources, a little at a time. 

Linda Pucci, Ph.D. is a psychologist, life coach and certified trainer at the Inner Resource Center, LLC.  She is an expert at helping people develop the resources they need to transform their life.  For more information about her services, including some free resources, go to http://www.innerresourcecenter.com/.

Adversity Shapes Us

"We all have to go through the tumbler a few times before we can emerge as a crystal."

~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Going through the ups and downs that life brings you may not be the most fun thing to do, but it shapes you, polishes you, and turns you into the gem that you are capable of becoming. Those hard adversities allow you to appreciate what is most important in your life. They help you understand, claim and enforce your boundaries--the guidelines you set up about how you demand to be treated. They help you learn what resources you have inside you, and what resources others can offer to help you get through those hard times. Maybe most importantly, they teach you about yourself and your strengths and capabilities. In spite of how hard it might be, you can survive. You have survived.

This week: Review the adversities you have encountered in your life so far. Examine how you handled them. What was most important for you? What did you learn about yourself? How did it shape who you are right now? What strengths did you develop as a result? Express gratitude for all you gained from those experiences. Honor yourself for getting through it.

Linda Pucci, Ph.D. is a psychologist, life coach and expert in helping people find the resources they need to transform their lives. She specializes in helping people let go of "emotional clutter"--those negative emotions and limiting beliefs we sometimes stockpile from past experiences. For more information and free resources go to http://www.innerresourcecenter.com/ or visit http://www.emotionalclutter.com/ .