Can we ever be ready for the challenges that come our way? The last few years have caught us all by surprise in some way, so what now? The reality is that we learn our most powerful life lessons on the battlefield of adversity. So what is the protocol to endurance? Why is it that some people seem to overcome anything? I believe the first rule to an overcoming heart is that we have to decide quite simply ‘I have won’, yep, no drumroll no fireworks needed simply winning starts with a decision. And the rest – will be your history.
Peacetime
In life today we all know the famous line ‘Be kind to people as everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about’ so true. I think at anyone time in our life we all have areas that we are still fighting a battle in, area’s of peacetime and areas where we are preparing for a battle in. So it is important to be wise about the life decisions and govern your life wisely. As sometimes I've learned to be more careful about what I share about some areas of my life as they are still unresolved and I'm still dealing with stuff.
I would greatly encourage you to continually build up areas of understanding and learning in your life, so that when a situation arises you have developed your own protocol and understanding of what to do, from issues such as ‘who to phone first’ in a particular situation to ‘what to eat’. How can we do this? I believe a powerful tool is learning from others who have gone a similar journey and I don’t mean idolising people or coveting what they have, I believe in learning about a person’s inner substance, what did they do? How did they live? How did they treat people in times of hardship? How did they endure that situation and how could that nugget of inspiration help me?
I love to ponder these questions regularly so I’m constantly developing my own memory bank of understanding and then more importantly understanding and having a trial to see what works for me as I develop and grow. That is the advantage of a ‘battlefield situation’, some learning you only learn on the battlefield of circumstance. So when trials come we can see it is an opportunity to put our theories to practice. We need to stay updated too as things that worked for us 10 years ago may not be applicable to who you are or who you will become. Like a child grows out of old clothes so we have to be ready and willing to update our own understanding regularly, journal it and have it ready. The New Year is a great time to find some quiet time alone and go though ‘your stuff’.
What did you learn in 2021? What still needs some work? What were the success stories for you? What do you want to take with you into 2022?
Also, if you are coming out of a battle, it’s also important to journal what you learned so you can build on your own learning and then one day pass it onto others who may need your knowledge.
The answer before the question
I can remember the week before I had the biggest injury of my life I attended my usual ballet class in Pineapple, Covent Garden and I bumped into a pal I hadn’t seen for a few years. We got chatting and she told me she had technically died twice on the operating table and was still fighting her lifelong battle with leukemia. I was shocked and saddened but so glad that she was still fighting and even made a ballet class! She was young, pretty and full of wisdom I remember thinking. We chatted and laughed over a coffee, it was lovely. However, I had no idea that within 7 days I would be crying down the phone to her from my hospital bed awaiting my surgery on my Achilles tendon rupture as a new battle suddenly fell upon me.
Life is amazing, it was as if God knew I would need her wisdom and she delivered in bucket loads! As I cried saying ‘please tell me what I must do to win? I’ve never been in hospital before and I don’t know about how to win the mental or physical war. I can't walk, been warned I maybe a cripple and can't work or drive’ I cried. She told me kindly as one who knows this drill well, how sickness works, and how healing works, how the NHS works, how to deal with fear of dying and everything inbetween. Thank God I thought! I listened intently to her lifelong knowledge and was glad as most of my friends had no knowledge of what to do or say. Some things you really have to have gone through to be able to help others. Her words shaped my 2-year struggle and after 1 year I limped back into a ballet class again to a standing ovation! I declared I AM BACK and after another year of hard work, love and determination I made it back to full recovery. I learned so many lessons about how to love people in pain, how to value health, how to be gentle and courageous. Life lesson learning about endurance is costly but important if you are to reach goals beyond your usual level of understanding.
This is why especially as adopted people and families no matter how we think 'who wants to hear what I know?' You never know when a few kind words and a chance meeting could have a huge impact on a persons life to help them win their war.
Headgear
So what is the most important piece of armour in a battle? Quite simply the helmet, need a reference? – Ephesians 6 in the Bible. ‘Put on the helmet of salvation’, whether you believe scripture of not your head is the most important area in a battle because it protects your mind, brain, decision-making and focus. It was said that King Henry 8th in England was a really great king, powerful and kind until he fell off his horse whilst jousting and was ill for a very long time and then after that – he became a murdering tyrant. Yep.. Head injuries including emotional head injuries and mental health need to be dealt with seriously.
The ability to make clear decisions when overwhelmed or fearful will determine your ability to either win the battle or loose, so reading and learning about wellbeing, prosperity and governance is imperative so that when the war happens you are ready mentally to win even if you may loose a few battles along the way.
Role models
In the new Adoption Arena Podcast that launches on Wednesday 19th January I have called this new series ‘The Pioneering Spirit’. I will be speaking to the most amazing set of people who know first hand what it takes to overcome and dare to sing when you are still winning! Do join us and please feel free to contact me with any questions or feedback.
We are all pioneers. We all bring something to the table of life for ourselves and to share with others.
Thanks for reading, please do share and spread the podcasts and blogs around.
And finally Happy New Year!
From everyone at Adoption Arena,
Joy :-)
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