Post Written By Eugene Morgan
“Tough times never last, but tough people do.”— Robert Schuller
When we’re in the mist of a tough time, it feels like eternity. When we continue to focus on the feeling of that experience, it becomes difficult for us to see that this will end and that we can get through this if we just hang in there longer. A permanent decision doesn’t have to be based on a temporary feeling. Instead, if we acknowledge our feelings when we do experience tough times, then the feelings are not as overwhelming, or feel like we’re out of control. To be tough doesn’t necessarily means that we become heartened. To be tough could mean that we’ve learned how to react appropriately to the situation.
I like how “tough” is used in two senses, the “tough times” that nobody wants, and the “toughness” that we all aspire to. I like how toughness in the latter sense is tied to learning how to react, finding the deep structure, not going with the surface appearance of things.