5 Lessons That Will Make You Stronger

Being strong does not mean having the ability to lift weights like a bodybuilder; rather, it is the ability to confront all the circumstances in our lives. It may sound rather idealistic, but it is possible to obtain the strength necessary to overcome all obstacles.

It is not enough to be aware and have confidence in our abilities; we must also know how to put them into practice when it is necessary. At the same time, we must work hard to develop new abilities that will help us to be stronger.

Pay close attention to the expectations that you have of people, events, and yourself. Excessive optimism is not always something positive because it can cause frustration if the task is not completed.

Instead of completely changing and becoming a diehard pessimist, you can see life through a more realistic lens. Without a doubt, this will allow you not only to achieve your goals, but also to avoid the vulnerability and pain that bad news or disappointment can cause you.

Keep in mind the following life lessons. These lessons should be kept in sight by all those who wish to be stronger, more proactive, and more aware:

1. There may not be a tomorrow.

What does this mean? Should we think that we are going to die soon? By no means. What is important, though, is remembering that the only thing that we have “for sure” is the present. The past already happened and the future remains uncertain.

Maybe you believe this is a rather sad lesson, but if you set your emotions aside and think about it, you will notice that this is totally true. Do not plan for tomorrow when you do not know that it will come. Better to focus on what is happening today.

You can also think about the future, but do not let this stop you from living in the present.

2. Life is not simple.

Who ever told you that it would be? We cannot achieve anything if we do not sacrifice anything, work hard, and move towards what we want.

Only a handful of people in this world have the “luck” to do nothing and for others to serve them hand and foot. However, is this what you want? Think long and hard about your response…

If you build your existence day by day, you will be more aware of the things that you have achieved and what it costs you to be happy. Then, when something bad happens or you are going through a “bad time,” you will remember that the effort you made was worth it. Understanding this reality is a good way to become stronger.

3. It is impossible to control everything.

Being immersed in our comfort zone is the closest thing we have to just staying in our mother’s stomach… safe, sound, fed, happy… Come out of your shell!

Conformity and safety are for the weak. Do you know why? Because they are not proactive enough to take a single step outside what they know. They do not try to change their fate; they are satisfied with achieving a little instead of making the effort to earn a lot.

4. Being informed is not the same as being wise.

What does it do for us if we spend an entire meal listening to the news on TV? “To be informed” is the first answer. And what does this mean? “Knowing what is happening.” Are you sure?

Life is something more than the weather reports, the changes in the economy, politics, royalty, and sports. Not to mention the bad news like robberies, murders, and injustices! Unless you take this information and use it to start an NGO or to help fight hunger, it is not going to help you in any way, shape, or form.

It is essential to cultivate yourself with texts that serve to improve and expand your inner strength. Self-help books or ones about philosophy are a good example.

5. We cannot change the past.

The time machine has not been invented yet for us to go back a few years. And if this were possible, what purpose would it serve you?

One of the ways to be strong is by learning from your mistakes. What you have done, is done; it is impossible to change it. It is on you to know how to take advantage of that lesson and not to let it happen again.

Additionally, one of the meanings of this life is that if we are born again, we will make the same decisions and mess up in the same way. There is no reason to regret; instead, act on it!