Remember: Your Challenges Will Turn Into Opportunities

Today, I suddenly felt the intense emotions I had when my husband and I had to endure emotional abuse from my father-in-law during the pandemic- a chaotic time that lasted for years. It was the darkest time in my life. The pain it has caused us was life-changing in many ways.

We are finally out of that situation, and I’m thankful for that, but as you know, it takes time to heal. It’s not something you can force in a month or two. Patience is required.

For today’s post, I want to share a few musings from my personal experience. I hope it helps someone or at least provides comfort, in any way, to those who are going through something.

Hmm. So where do I start?

Life & Challenges

We all encounter challenges that vary in degrees of intensity. We have minor inconveniences, personal struggles, and sometimes, big problems. There is no such thing as a perfect life.

Challenges are a part of everyone’s journey. They are given to us to strengthen our character. It’s just that some challenges are heavier than others. When it’s too much to bear, remember that nothing is permanent in this world, including our problems; everything will be fine.

So yeah, here are a few musings from my experience.

Confront your emotions no matter how unpleasant they may be. If you want to cry, then cry. It’s better to express your feelings than to leave them inside your heart. Keeping them in for a long time can cause you to project your anger to others, or compromise your physical health. As you've already heard, stress is a silent killer.
There are some things you just have to accept or let go. One of the things I realized in my experience is how different dysfunctional setups work from normal ones. The dynamics, the values, the standards, and the conversations are so different. There’s nothing you can do about it. The best thing to do is to stay away or limit your interactions with individuals who are not adding value to your life.
Don’t let pain get a hold of your heart. While what happened to us broke my heart into what felt like a million pieces, I could not let a bad experience dim my perspective on life. My FIL was hateful, and he has caused us a great deal of excruciating pain. BUT. If I hated him too much, wouldn't I have become the same person that I disliked? I would have also taken it on someone else, and the pattern would have continued. Well, that's what I wanted to avoid. And that's what you should be mindful of as well; when you're in a position to break any negative pattern, break it at all costs. Let it stop with you.

Your challenges will turn into fruitful opportunities

It’s not the end of the world. Remember to smile and find reasons to laugh. Watch a good show, dress up, eat delicious food, and treat yourself to something nice. Looking after yourself takes your focus away from your troubles and to your blessings. As for me, I enjoyed collecting stickers and making videos at that time. It helped a lot.
Have a good support system. My husband and I are so blessed to have a reliable support system that provides us with the guidance, assistance, and moral support we need- this is one of the things I will forever be grateful for. Feeling ko kung wala yung pamilya ko, hindi na namin nalagpasan yung pagsubok namin. It makes a difference to have good people around you.

Your pain can be your power. Instead of complaining about your circumstances, find a hobby or something you can channel your energies into; it could be your art, music, other talents, or even money-making. Magpaganda, magpa-talino, at magpayaman nalang bes, success is the best revenge ika nga.
If you went through a traumatic experience, please do not hesitate to seek professional help. Traumatic events can affect your well-being, relationships, and overall productivity; seek help if needed. It is your responsibility to take after yourself. Wag pabayaan ang sarili.