I created Living ROI as a passion, to share my experiences and support others who want to live more authentic, joyful and fulfilling lives.
Dear Friends,
A famous Chinese proverb has been on my mind recently. It’s a comforting proverb in a way. When sh– happens, we often wonder why. To think it may actually be a blessing is helpful.
A farmer and his son had a beloved stallion who helped the family earn a living. One day, the horse ran away and their neighbors exclaimed, “Your horse ran away, what terrible luck!” The farmer replied, “Maybe.”
A few days later, the horse returned home, leading a few wild mares back to the farm as well. The neighbors shouted out, “Your horse has returned, and brought several horses home with him. What great luck!” The farmer replied, “Maybe.”
Later that week, the farmer’s son was trying to break one of the mares and she threw him to the ground, breaking his leg. The villagers cried, “Your son broke his leg, what terrible luck!” The farmer replied, “Maybe.”
A few weeks later, soldiers from the national army marched through town, recruiting all the able-bodied boys for the army. They did not take the farmer’s son, still recovering from his injury. Friends shouted, “Your boy is spared, what tremendous luck!” To which the farmer replied, “Maybe.”
–Chinese Proverb
Commenting on this story, Allan Watts, the philosopher, said, “The whole process of nature is an integrated process of immense complexity. It is really impossible to tell whether anything that happens in it is good or bad. Because you never know what will be the consequences of a misfortune. Or, you never know what will be the consequences of good fortune.”
Is it true that everything happens for a reason? As the Chinese farmer said, “Maybe.” What really matters is attitude. If you perceive that there is a method to the madness, it makes it easier to deal with challenges. If you believe life is random, then you’re likely to feel a lack of control; and, therefore, when things go wrong, one could feel like a victim.
I believe that every experience we have is part of our path, preparing us for the future. As I look back on my life, the moments when I have felt the most despair have turned out to be great lessons. Those experiences have not only furthered my own path, they’ve prepared me to help others who are in a similar situation.
There are many stories of people who have faced great adversity and say that if they could go back and prevent it from happening, they wouldn’t. The path the challenge or misfortune put them on ultimately outweighed the pain.
There are ways to make the journey easier. Here are 4 Proven Ways to Overcome Adversity by life coach Tiffany Mason. In short:
- Surround yourself with positive people.
- Write.
- Be in nature.
- Invest in yourself.
May you see the silver lining!
Barbara Fagan-Smith
CEO, ROI Communication
Chief Catalyst, Living ROI
