Problems? Nah.

When you hear the word problem, which do you think of first; positive or negative? Negative, right? We can certainly look at problems this way and most often times it’s the easiest way to view them. Problems cause us inconvenience and can sometimes cause mental discordance, especially when we’re forced to choose one option over another. We go through our lives trying to make the most out of it, avoiding problems as best we can for a stress free life. But let’s face it, problems are inevitable and often put a bump on the otherwise smooth road. But, in order to make the most of life, we can overcome and learn from these problems and prevent it from happening again in the future.

Duke Ellington said, “A problem is your chance for you to do your best.” Personally I agree with this quote. As a person who has been through a great deal of problems in my life, I do believe problems can sometimes improve your character. In the moment our problems seem purely negative and it would be best if they never happened. They’re always going to be there so why not change your view? Coming out the other end is a huge accomplishment, no matter how small the problem, it proves you can persevere and you are larger than your troubles. You can prove you have the will and determination to improve and push on.

When parents introduce the idea, they call them a ‘happy accident’. Now, most of us know what this means: an unplanned child. For some couples this can be extremely stressful trying to prepare for a child they weren’t ready for. In my case, it was one of the best things that ever happened to me. When I was two years old, I was introduced to my new baby sister; the ‘happy accident.’ In this situation it truly was a happy accident, after looking at everything we’ve been through I don’t know what I would’ve done without her. To my parents at the time, they probably were panicked and saw this unplanned pregnancy as a problem. Eventually (clearly) they got through it and 15 years later here she is. A miracle for them and a best friend for me.

As mentioned before, I’ve been through my fair share of problems. Looking back on my life, it just seemed like a string of one problem after another. I try not to linger on that thought for too long and look at where I am now; alive living in a home and eating comfortably. I consider myself lucky for being able to have these things. The problems and mental anguish I’ve experienced have only strengthened my will and my ability to deal with similar problems. After these problems occurred I couldn’t stop them but, I could make the most of them. I learned and taught from them, I grew and became stronger. Being alive in this moment itself says a lot.

Problems shape who we are and truly create our character. How we decide to deal with and cope with these problems defines us but we don’t have to let them control us. Humans are a very resilient species, after all, we should embrace and make the most of that. We have the ability to turn problems into solutions.

“Weird cat” by gillicious is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0