How Challenges Can Make Life Interesting

productivity tips, journaling

5 Seconds Summary:

  • “Challenges are what makes life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” – Joshua J. Marine

I come across this quote, and it really caught my attention.

Because I know most people have their share of challenges in life.

Especially with whatever is happening in the world right now, we can’t run away from challenges.

Including myself.

But to be honest, I never felt the challenges as something interesting. So, the quotes are rather odd when I read them at first.

Later when I think about it, it seems rather true

How to make life interesting?

Should I find challenges?

In a way, yes. But rather than viewing it as a challenge, view it as resistance.

The resistance that we faced in life.

In physic, we learn that resistance is an important component of the electric circuit.

Basically, the function of the resistance is to protect the circuit against voltage spikes and provide the proper voltage needed.

But, what happens if the component receives too much voltage?

Well, it can damage the circuit, or it can’t even function properlySimply put, resistance is needed for the circuit to function.

I’m not going to explain how an electric circuit works, I just know how to switch on and off the switch button that’s all

But hear me out.

Like the electric circuit, we need resistance in our life.

It’s inevitable because it’s part of the process for us to learn and grow as a person

Sometimes, when we are facing resistance or challenges in life, we feel like we are the unfortunate ones.

We question a lot

 

Why does life treat us this way?

Why me?

Why do bad things always happen to me?

 

What we don’t realize is that all people have their own resistance

No matter how big or small, all of us have our share of challenges or resistance in life

And I don’t mean to downgrade other people’s misfortune. I know lots of people have been tested with so many difficulties and challenges that I can’t imagine if that ever happened to me.

What I mean to say is we can’t run away from it.

What we can do is how to respond to that

“If you’d like to do something bold with your life, you will have to choose to do something bold on a specific day.

There is no perfect day. There is no right time. For the trajectory to change, there has to be one day when you simply make the choice.”-James Clear

How can challenges make life interesting?

Isn’t it better if life is normal with no challenges and we all be happy all the time?

Well, as much as we want it, life doesn’t work that way

Imagine you are watching a movie. The movie is just about the daily life of a people. Think something like 500 days of summer. Or maybe any movie you like

In the movie, if there is nothing ever happening, no climax, no drama, no thrill whatsoever, how would you feel watching the movie?

It will be damn boring. You probably stop watching after 15 minutes

There is nothing interesting or worth watching.

The challenges or the resistance in any sort of form is needed so that life can have more spice and colors in it.

When you are facing any challenges, this is the best way to view them, in my opinion

You are the main actor in your own life.

You decide what happens in the next scene.

 

Would you just crumple in bed?

Or you just let it go and see what you can do about it

 

The one movie that I really recommend on this subject is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

I’m not going to spoil it, but this movie best summarises how the mundane life of the typical office worker gets some colors after facing certain difficulty

I know I make it sound predictable as heck, but seriously, it is one of the best movies I watch

Because of how relatable it is with my life. The mundane part of the course.

Go watch it, you are not going to be disappointed.

So, really what we can really do about it?

The practical approach on how to overcome or go through the life challenges

productivity tips, journaling

#1 Precisely define the problem or the challenges you are currently faced

To quotes the word of the master of productivity and habits, James Clear

“The more precisely you define the problem, the more easily you can find a solution.

“I feel bad” can have a million causes.

“I didn’t sleep much last night and I haven’t exercised in a week” has a very straightforward answer.”

as we define the problem clearly will help in finding the necessary solution.

But for some reason, sometimes it is quite difficult to really explain what the problem is

When there is a lot going on with your life, it’s hard to pinpoint what exactly went wrong.

That’s when journaling help

 

# 2 Do reflection journaling

We are often confused when we said we want to relax and recharge, but we still constantly scrolling our phones. I’m guilty of it.

The phone won’t help us with relax & recharge. It never will. It have the ability to saps out your energy. Specifically social media.

Doomscrolling is the act of continuously scrolling through the social media or surfing the web. This has become a mindless habit.

The problem with doomscrolling is that it can perpetuates negative thought and negative mindset

#3 allow some time for yourself

Sometimes, things happen out of your control and there is nothing much you can do about it

Think about someone close and dear to you that passed away

Or maybe you get laid off from your work

Or you just failed the exams again

Allow yourself some time to accept it.

Sometimes, things get better, or even with time

Maybe not necessarily get better, but maybe time can make us feel less resistance and more acceptance towards that

Over To You

overcome challenges, productivity tips

What are the life challenges you face recently?

How has it affect your life?

Share with us your practical tips on how to go through life challenges.

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