Some persons will tell you that struggles are a part of the human life. This mainly emanates from the fact that the human life is finite and has limitations. However, the existence of struggles could be far less important than how the individual is in position to face the struggles.
An interesting fact about the human life is that we are both human and spiritual beings. Hence, what we refer to as life’s struggles take on two forms – physical and spiritual struggles. Anyone who has not yet come to the realization that life’s struggles are real and that they occur in these two forms may be fortunate enough to realize it sooner than later.
So, where does that leave us? Struggles exist because there is a dichotomy between what should be and what is; Who we can be and who we really are; between who we are and who we think we should be becoming; between where we are and where we should be.
This human desire and longing which creates friction within us is a great gift to the human’s sense of self. Where this longing is positively directly, it can allow the human person chart ways of advancing and progressing beyond where one has always been.
Going back to the struggles of life, these struggles are found in every aspect of life. These could be struggles with regards to health, family issues, relationships, career, work struggles, mental/emotional struggles, physical struggles, or spiritual struggles.
Everyone goes through one struggle or the other, at one time or the other, yet, you don’t have to constantly live from one struggle to the next. That is a life of unnecessary suffering. Life is not all about struggles. Every struggle has an arrival time and an exit time. So, look forward to its end by doing the right things.
We must also agree that what may be struggle for one person may not be a struggle for another. So, what are some factors that brings that difference? These factors vary.
Factors that Influence Life’s Struggles
History and Experience: One’s history and experience may help a person build their capacity such that something no longer becomes a struggle. It may have been a struggle in the beginning, but with practice and constant engagement, it no longer becomes a struggle. This could be positively or negatively. A person who does good and gives generously does not struggle to do so. Same too, a person who has developed the habit of telling lies will deceive and defraud another effortlessly.
Knowledge and Information: Exposure to relevant knowledge and information can help someone to overcome a particular struggle because he or she now knows what it is, what to do, how to go about it and who could help. Ignorance or lack of information can cause a person to struggle unnecessarily and endlessly. Hence, it is better to be equipped in that area in which you desire to excel.
Privileged position and association: Being in a particular position and having certain associations could help you not to struggle over certain things. Again, this could be used positively or negatively. Life is always a choice between life and death. For example, a person may decide to join a bad group that promises wealth, riches, fame, and popularity easy to achieve. They do not want to struggle to be rich, wealthy, and famous, so they look for a leverage against that struggle. Well, such choices have generational consequences, and so the person also needs to know that.
Access to Mentoring Relationships: Someone who is in a mentoring relationship would likely have the privileged opportunity of being guided through some areas of life. This would help the mentee minimize on his or her struggles. This happens where the mentor shares knowledge, learned experience, transferable skills, and create learning opportunities for the mentee.
Personal Beliefs and Mindset: The mind is very central to one’s self-concept. It affects the image we have of ourselves, who we think we are, and where we think we should be going. And this is tied to the beliefs and mindset that we have acquired and developed over time. The content of our personal beliefs and mindsets become the driving engine behind all that is happening and will happen in our lives.
Who you think you are, influences what you do with your life. Your thoughts affect the choices you make. And this will determine to what extent you struggle through the challenges that inevitably come in life.
(To be continued – Part 2 – More on the forms of struggle; Physical and Spiritual)
DISCLAIMER
The OPINION / COLUMN is authored by independent contributors to the National Accord Newspaper. While contributors adhere to our editorial guidelines, they are not employed by the National Accord Newspaper. The perspectives and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of the National Accord Newspaper or its staff.
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