Throughout our lives we play many roles. From child to parent. From student to teacher. From novice to expert. From being the cared-for to the caregiver. From worker to retiree…and more.

No matter how we’ve studied, planned and prepared, as we transition and go about living our lives,  there are detours. We never move from one role to another in a linear way. Life is far more like a stock market chart — reaching new highs and lows, indicative of mass opinion, with little rhyme or reason. 

The only constant is the opportunity to learn. 

When life feels like a rollercoaster ride that we’re ready to get off, it is helpful to remember that quite often the unanticipated twists and turns — those things we could never have planned for — become the catalyst for our greatest growth.

The undesired adversity helps us to recognize our strength, patience, capacity, creativity and wisdom. 

When I look back over dark times, when it was so hard to see any light, I remember that there were still bright days that accompanied that darkness. There were opportunities to learn as I felt challenged to the depths of my capacity. Ultimately, I found new ways to see things. 

My mind became better at letting go. My ability to allow the existence of my thoughts without judgement improved — all while feeling the emotions, opening my senses to receiving, hearing opinions, acknowledging preferences — all of it — improved.  It was the things I never wanted that helped me to get better at observing and releasing without identifying with all that was and is out of my control. In a way, adversity may have contributed to my path towards peace even more than the positive moments. Adversity reminds me to close my eyes, breathe and tell myself:  “I’m open to learning and I become stronger no matter what is happening.”  

✨ Silver Disobedience® philosophy believes all healthy relationships begin with self-awareness. I’m @DianGriesel aka @SilverDisobedience ✨ I am a Perception Analyst and I wrote The Silver Disobedience Playbook. Here, I share my Daily Meditations for other Ageless, Passionate & Curious People.  More info in my bio, my websites and at Wilhelmina New York.