Only a fool believes he will be exempt from life's hardships.
An even bigger fool lacks the foresight to prepare for their inevitability.
That's where preparedness and self-awareness come in.
The Power of Preparedness
Being proactive rather than reactive is the secret sauce to conquering life's uncertainties.
If we prepare ourselves mentally and emotionally, we gain a sense of confidence and peace of mind.
Being prepared for small inconveniences like when the power goes out can be used as tests for how well-equipped we are to pivot.
I'm not suggesting that searching for candles or flashlights is similar to the loss of a loved one or a medical diagnosis.
But if we can try and find some semblance of peace or positivity within the chaos of those small inconveniences, then we can start to build a shield of resilience for the darker times (no pun intended).
Building Awareness
Obtaining, or even pursuing, self-awareness is supremely underrated.
If we are honest with ourselves we can start to understand our strengths, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities.
This goes a long way to helping navigate through hardships more effectively.
Getting to know ourselves - without all the sugar-coating, bravado or approval-seeking - is not easy.
None of us has it all figured out, so it's about being comfortable in your skin and coming to grips with the idea that the journey to true self-awareness never stops
If you notice that you react or behave a certain way to minor triggers or problems, then that should be an area of focus to begin improving upon.
This is something I personally am always trying to get better at, and it takes courage to call yourself out for acting inappropriately knowing that there are better ways to approach and resolve issues.
Embracing the Inevitable
Let's face it—we can't avoid adversity. It's just a part of the human experience.
Instead of fighting against it, we should try to find some method that allows us to embrace it with more resilience.
Acceptance allows us to adapt to change and nurture a positive mindset even in the face of adversity.
To deny that a problem exists or, worse yet, avoid facing it altogether generally results in the problem being exacerbated to the point that it requires far more energy to contain.
This does absolutely nothing for building a sense of resilience when the next adversity arises.
Ready for Swift Action
"If you stay ready, you ain't gotta get ready".
I'm not sure who to attribute that quote to, but it couldn't be more true.
This mentality doesn't necessarily mean that you have to have every solution ready at hand, but it does mean that you're ready to take action the moment a crisis begins.
That is where preparedness and self-awareness come into play, knowing that inevitably some hardship will rear its head.
