What are you wishing for?
All over social media I see posts where friends are wishing each other “nothing but happiness.” While I appreciate that sentiment, and I’m all in favor of happiness in our lives, having “nothing but happiness” limits the ways in which we can personally grow.
For us to develop to our full potential, we need some occasional un-happiness.
Knowing that fact can change our perspective on the challenges and disappointments in our lives. Three reasons why we should embrace occasional unhappiness:
1. “Unhappiness” gives us a great chance to reevaluate and grow. As I look back at my life, many of my major growth points have been triggered by something “bad” that happens. Negative things disrupt our routine and cause us to question the what, when, and why of our actions and decisions. That self-questioning is a necessary disruption for personal growth.
2. Challenges test our strengths. If we have areas for personal growth—one of mine is “patience”—challenges are the only way we can see our progress. If I want to become more patient, I must be challenged by situations where I’m tempted to be impatient! If I want to be stronger, I must be challenged by time when I’m tempted to be weak. If I want to be braver, I must face fear.
3. Difficulties give us an appreciation of the easier moments. If we never were unhappy, we wouldn’t know how good it feels when we’re happy. Therefore, we need tough times to give us perspective, an outlook of appreciation for the big picture.
I’m not going to get on your social media page and wish you unhappiness! But I do challenge you to embrace the tough moments in life as opportunities for growing toward the person you want to be!