What if hard days have a purpose too? ~ Becoming the Greatest Expression of You

What if hard days have a purpose too?

There’s an electronic billboard on Highway 10 here in the Coachella Valley that asks, “What if hard days have a purpose too?”

Every time I pass by that billboard I think, “WOW! What a great question.”

So, what would it mean if your hard days have a purpose too? When I ask myself that question, I experience a shift within me on how I think of those hard times.

A couple of days ago when I was having a few minutes of hard times, the words of that billboard flashed through my mind. I immediately felt a calming within me, my breath and heart rate slowed as I became mindful.

I asked myself, “What if this hard time has a purpose? What are my opportunities here?”

As I reflected on the situation, I realized that I had a choice. I could choose to spin up on how unfair the situation was or, I could become mindful and learn from the experience. It was another opportunity to choose Joy.

Suffering or Joy

As I’ve said previously, if you still have a pulse you still have hard times. But hard times do not have to equate to suffering and misery.

I’ve chosen to do some hard things in my life. I’ve accomplished 5 marathons and I climbed Mt. Rainer. I’ve completed several 100-mile bike rides and I’ve ridden my bike the 204 miles from Seattle to Portland twice. Once in two days and the next time all in 12.5 hours.

Each one of these events was a huge physical, mental and emotional challenge. They were hard times. And yet they were exciting and I learned so much about myself and living life from each one of them. In each of these events I had a choice to either focus on how hard the event was or to celebrate the distance I had completed.

Now I know that there are huge differences between these events that I chose to participate in and the ones that life delivers to us – especially when it involves life-threatening diseases like cancer or the loss of a loved one.

But, one of the things that I have learned over the years working with people who are living with cancer or at end-of-life, is that when they focus on the blessings in their life and the opportunities for growth and learning, they live a fuller and more joyful life.

Joyously learn from the experience

Reflect for a moment on the hard times in your life – either a current one that you are undergoing right now or one from the recent past. What if this hard time has a purpose? Do you choose to suffer or do you choose to Joyously learn from the experience?

When you stop fixating on the hard times and mindfully focus on the opportunities for growth, fear can become excitement and dread can become Joy. When you are being the Greatest Expression of You, you are able to acknowledge the challenge that you are facing and joyfully move through it.