Tough Times DON'T Last [BUT Tough People Do]

 

This one-liner 'TOUGH TIMES DON'T LAST BUT TOUGH PEOPLE DO' has been true 99% of the time BUT WHAT is unsaid here is the fact that those TOUGH TIMES do take its toll even on the toughest person.  We've seen OR witnessed world-class and very competitive sportsmen WHO are in deep trainings prior to a fight OR contest ONLY TO LOSE in that contest.  In the post-mortem, the defeated competitor then admits that prior to that fight OR contest, he was bothered with internal problems [e.g. law suits being filed against him] and that impacted NOT just his mental health BUT his state of mind.  Of course, a devil's advocate will blurt out that that's an excuse and alibi no less.  BUT during those 'down moments', can we give him the benefit of the doubt???

Surely, WHEN it comes to life, we can have blanket guarantees that TOUGH TIMES will come [if it has NOT hit you yet].  That's a reality every single person has to go through in life [and that lincludes scions of the rich and famous WHO were born with a silver spoon in their mouth.  BUT WHAT separates the people WHO make it through those TOUGH TIMES and those WHO DON'T is HOW they handle things during those trying times.  And the people WHO make it through are the ones we can tag as TOUGH [if NOT TOUGH enough].  One misconception about TOUGHNESS is that they are OR seem to be immune from the pain that goes with it.  NO sirrrrs, being TOUGH DOESN'T mean you WON'T go through THAT pain, THAT you DON'T stumble, THAT you DON'T shed tears, THAT you DON'T agonize.  Being TOUGH means NEVER GIVING UP even during those times💥💥💥

As there is no simple formula for being TOUGH, we are always told to keep pushing forward even WHEN it feels like there is NO point, even WHEN it looks like an effort that will become futile [because HOW sure are we that your attempt will fail?].  WHAT should keep us going is to inculcate this real hard fact:  THOSE TOUGH TIMES will NOT last forever.  And if you are conscious enough that you are TOUGH, that should be a shot in your arm and in your confidence that you will make it through!!!

SO HOW?  If there is a LESSON #1 I learned early in life, it is to consistently embrace my inner strength during those TOUGH TIMES as I can attest that in at least 90% of those trying times, it did help me get through those TOUGH TIMES and at the end of the road, I remained standing [albeit bruised, black and blue] BUT very much standing on my own feet.  True, those trying times did test my innermost foundations, and I realized then that if there is one power I had then, it was the power to choose HOW should I react to those TOUGH TIMES, which means, I could let it defeat myself OR use it as a platform to be stronger and more resilient in the face of it.  Heard of narratives WHEN flash floods hit a residential community, one family member was able to carry out from the floods all by himself the refrigerator BUT after the floods, he was surprised HOW he did it😗😗😗

Our takeaway:  In the midst of trying times, do allow yourself to feel WHATEVER emotions would surface BUT DON'T get stuck in them.  That huge faux pas happened to me once in the past as I then started to beat up myself for feeling down, allowing [I'll say I was condoning] myself to dwell on the negative thoughts hovering all over me then. WHILE trusting that you will eventually get through those TOUGH TIMES, coming out stronger on the other side will need you to summon all your remaining energies and positivity because TOUGH TIMES DON'T LAST BUT TOUGH PEOPLE DO💚💛💜