Growth Comes From the Storms of Life

Many are content with doing things the easiest way they can. Whole areas of the Internet prey on those who believe that they can get rich playing video games, they can get thin without changing their diet, or that they can get respect without changing their behavior. The truth is that true growth and change comes from difficulty.

Nothing that is worth it ever came in a cereal box, and yet, when we face a difficult challenge the natural reaction we have is to complain about the problem, run from the challenge, or just give up and find something else. The storms of life serve a purpose– to strengthen our resolve and to build character.

The storms show us who we are and what we truly value.

If you think that the storm that you’re facing is especially severe, remember that the wind blows hardest against the tallest trees:

Redwoods actually have remarkably shallow root systems that extend no more than 6 to 12 feet beneath the surface. Instead of depending on depth, they depend on breadth. The roots extend far outward and as they grow, the roots of one tree will twist and wrap around many others until they have formed an entire system that is nearly impossible to topple from above or uproot from beneath. Redwoods are found in groves because they depend upon one another for their growth, their help, and their survival. A lone redwood is soon likely to be a dead redwood, or if not that, a dwarf redwood that never reaches its full potential.
– The Winds Blow Hardest Against the Tallest Trees

Make sure to surround yourself with people that can support you so that you will not fall when tested– that you, and those around you will grow stronger. Don’t trust in just yourself to help you grow, but surround yourself with others to help you face the trials, to help you learn from what the storm teaches you, and to be able to grow stronger together.