We know how to talk about difficult jobs, difficult tasks, mentally challenging situations, difficult personalities, and periods… The list is endless, and it is not our goal to reach its end, nor to find a solution for each individual case in a few lines.
Instead, we want to draw attention to the inner attitude of the one who needs to face difficulties.
Almost everyone acknowledges that there are easy things: generally, those are the ones done by others, and only a few happen to us. I don’t know why most people believe – according to Plato’s myth about cranes – that the burden of “others” is easy, and that life only burdens us with difficulties. Maybe because most people truly don’t empathize with another’s situation.
On the other hand, we all know that there are situations in which we are successful; everyone knows that they are capable of doing this or that well or very well. In addition, there are countless things that seem unsolvable, like unattainable goals.
Let’s think for a moment. Easy doesn’t exist on its own. If we were to every If a person were asked what they consider to be easy, everyone would answer differently.
So, there is what we know and can achieve, and what we neither know nor can achieve. Easy is what we have already learned, what we have mastered, and what we achieve effortlessly. When, where, and how did we learn it?… The only thing that is certain is that what we have learned and adopted is easily applied in life.
In the same way, there is no inherent difficulty. This also depends on the person and their accumulated knowledge. What we are not familiar with, what seems new to us, puts on the mask of difficulty. In our ignorance of how to solve it, we declare the same thing as difficult for years, without it being so unknown or new, it just resurfaces and scares us again. The fear and terror we feel towards the new will not help us overcome difficulties. On the contrary, we will overcome difficulties when we no longer have an ounce of fear within us.
It is normal for life to be full of difficulties. We all came into this world to learn, to we would acquire new knowledge… If everything always went smoothly, that would be warning enough: either we have stagnated in what we already know, or we have become insensitive to the recognition of new possibilities for development.
The difficult things confront us with what we need to learn at a given moment, with what seems like a difficult trial, however, it is a necessary exercise to become aware of experiences…
PERSONAL PROBLEMS
What are personal problems?
Obviously, these are the ones that affect our person, which includes a combination of physical, vital, emotional, and mental expressions.
Without intending to devalue the pain caused by illness or some long-term physical disorder, emotional states, on the other hand, have a much greater impact on us, to the extent that they color our thoughts and even affect the state of our body. It is well known that a certain aversion to something is immediately reflected in the body in such a way that it momentarily deprives the mind of logical and rational reasoning. Why do we have such personal problems, primarily of an emotional nature? It’s because we don’t understand the driving mechanisms of our own emotions, and as a result, we are unable to resolve situations burdened with conflicts.
Everyone in this world faces problems. This is logical if we agree with classical philosophers that the purpose of life is to teach us how to live. This is not just a mere play on words. We can learn from others’ experiences and advice, we can prepare ourselves for life’s trials, however, nothing can compare to what we have learned from our own life experiences. Life teaches us every day, and it is good to recognize it as a teacher, not as an enemy. As a teacher, life helps us unleash our best potentials; if we see it as an enemy, it will appear as a long path full of personal problems.
How does life teach us? Unlike other teaching methods, life does it directly, attacking what hurts us the most, forcing us to reflect on the necessary changes. Lambs. Everything of a sensitive nature hurts. Although feelings can sometimes turn into a source of joy and happiness, there are far more frequent and powerful moments of dissatisfaction, fear, despair, insecurity, helplessness…
We could make an inexhaustible list of problems, but it is enough to mention a few that almost everyone is familiar with. These are existential problems, the struggle for a somewhat dignified job that is in line with our preferences and abilities, with our education or preparedness. There are also difficulties in learning and further improvement, as we do not always get the opportunity or, on the other hand, we dream of an education that would provide better living conditions, only to later discover that it is not as easy as it seemed at the beginning. Let’s also mention family problems, as even among those who make up this tight-knit community, mutual understanding is not always present. There are also problems that concern the meaning of our existence, and they affect those who burden themselves with questions of fate, inner purposefulness. I would add that the concept of “problems” in this context refers to various difficulties, challenges, and conflicts that we encounter in our lives. These problems can range from personal issues related to our emotions, relationships, and self-fulfillment, to broader societal and global issues that affect our individual and collective well-being. Problems can arise in our careers, our health, our finances, our families, our communities, the environment, and countless other aspects of our lives.
The way we approach and handle problems can greatly impact our ability to find solutions and overcome obstacles. Sometimes, when faced with a problem, we may feel overwhelmed or stuck, unsure of how to move forward. This can lead to feelings of paralysis, where we feel unable to take any action or make any progress.
Our attitude towards problems often leads us to seek quick and easy solutions, avoiding the need to make an effort or take responsibility for our own actions. We may look to others for help or guidance, hoping that they will provide us with the answers or solutions we seek. However, relying solely on external sources for solutions can further paralyze us, as we become dependent on others and lose sight of our own power and agency.
In addition, when we blame external factors for our problems and injustices in life, we give away our power and become victims of circumstance. This can lead to a cycle of negative emotions, confused thoughts, and physical manifestations of anxiety. The problem may grow in our minds, becoming an insurmountable mountain that consumes us.
Ultimately, this approach leaves us trapped in pain, despair, and resentment towards others, without truly addressing the root causes of our problems. Solving problems requires taking responsibility for our own lives, examining our own actions and choices, and seeking inner strength and resilience to overcome obstacles. possible guilt… Ultimately, we find ourselves in a vast abyss that becomes deeper and deeper, making it increasingly difficult to escape.
From below, from the depths of psychological despair, we cannot see the light. Minute by minute, the pain grows and there is nothing left but the suffering that haunts us.
Solutions, naturally, need to come from above. In order to find an answer, we must rise above the problems and difficulties.
If we know that the root of the problem lies in our emotions, then we need to activate our mental strength to overcome the negative emotional state. This may initially seem difficult, but everything is difficult until it is attempted. It takes effort to climb the stairs, rise above the clouds, and attain clarity in our own understanding. It’s true, we’re not all wise, but we all have a certain reservoir of more or less valuable experiences to find concrete solutions to what troubles us. We must be able to find our own solutions. Some may prove useless. , consider to be more or less acceptable, and there will also be those that are truly good. We always need to keep trying, with good will and without hesitation driven by emotions. That way, we gain new experiences that will become useful in new opportunities.
We are not just a collection of feelings and passions; we also have intelligence to observe ourselves “from the outside” and follow our own path.
Difficulties and will
What characteristics mark the development of human life? Difficulties and will.
Difficulties are challenges along the way, they are new steps we have to take every time we encounter a new task in life. Without difficulties, we would remain in the same place and not progress.
Will is the awakening of consciousness that helps us achieve our plans, if we have clear ideas, if our goals are noble, and if we know how to maintain consistency in our actions. Will is realized when we overcome difficulties bravely and intelligently.
Find our own way of development
All living beings follow and strive to find their own way of development, which is unique for each individual.
There is a natural law of development that manifests itself as growth, expansion, opening, elevation, and so on, depending on the case. Human beings are not exempt from this law. On the contrary, we have the ability to understand it, and when we do not understand it well, we act impulsively, trying to act within our usual framework.
If we could regain our true speed, our rhythm, we would find a way of development that suits us. We would want more, even more than what makes us bigger and better human beings. Our efforts would then be directed towards strengthening what reinforces our human nature.
It’s about finding what suits us and what enriches us. It’s about being more, not having more.
Excerpt from the book “Para conocerse mejor”