As we go through life’s challenges we learn more about ourselves. However,the greatest lessons are learned when our resilience comes into play. This is what I like to call the bounce back.
Each day the world punishes us for different faults we do not have and tells us to be better. Criticism is a constant; advertising blames us for our flaws and the media gracefully dictates who we should or should not be. Through the last few years I have journeyed through these social obstacles, unknowingly piece-by-piece harnessing an armour of strength.
The women around me have woven a strong safety net for me to fall into when needed. Sometimes unfortunate occasions arise where we need the help of this safety network, but other times we have to be our own safety net.
In doing this for myself, I have realised that I am stronger than I thought. I do not measure this strength on how many push-ups I can do, or how many times I hold back tears — but instead on my bounce back. It is accepting your feelings, however long it takes, and empowering yourself to bounce back on top of things.
Being a creative person who employs emotion for work, I personally like to ride the roller coaster of emotions that arise in life. Luckily I am able to express my emotions so freely with such pride through art, dance and writing. But there are times where locking yourself in a room blasting emo music with a writing pad, sketchbook, pencils and paints is not an option.
You have to pick yourself up. Grieve, relish each emotion but know that it is a step closer to being okay…to bouncing back. Those who are close to me know that while I’m experiencing anger in one moment, in half an hour I’ll be laughing like nothing ever happened. And then in an hour I’ll be ready to conquer Mount Everest.
In retrospect, one should recognise and interpret this pattern then adjust one’s reactions accordingly. But… then I wouldn’t have an article to write.
Allow yourself to succumb to the process. Despite how you may feel in the moment, you are strong. Your inner strength is how you bounce back.
The truth is that denying ourselves the beauty of submitting to, grappling with, enduring through and indulging in our emotions is denying ourselves opportunity. Within those emotions and experiences lay opportunities to move forward, to be the best version of ourselves that we can be.
Instead of the embarrassment and feeling of stupidity that follows when emotion strikes, we should feel grateful that life has presented us with an opportunity. Society is gradually coming on board, but for a long time expressing emotion was a form of weakness hence the embarrassment. It is the emotion cascading from within that has allowed me to get back on track and bounce back bigger and better. My bounce back has taught me that I am tenacious, fearless and I’m an old school romantic.
What has yours taught you?
