I know this blog is supposed to be all about spirituality, positivity, and a happy, healthy lifestyle, etc…but I felt it is most important to note that true peace cannot be attained without acknowledging the flip side. Negativity inevitably comes along with our time here on Earth, in every aspect of life, for everyone, all of the time. Struggle happens and people hurt you; this pain & hurt are inevitable, but life is just too short to worry about things beyond your control. So just soak up the good, let go of the bad, & give the world the best you’ve got..and leave the rest up to whatever higher power in which you believe, because in the end, it was always between you and yourself.

I firmly believe that it is only after you’ve lost everything that you are free to do anything. Struggle is the meaning of life; inevitable for all. It is man’s duty and should be his joy. After all, life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, for there will always be another storm; life is about learning how to get out there and dance in the rain. Happiness is what brings success- not the other way around. There will always be problems but the hand you’re dealt by life is out of your control; what truly matters is your attitude and how you play your cards. Besides, your soul can not be strengthened in ease, without experiencing all aspects of life, but if you stay true to yourself there is nothing more you can ask.

Bad things will always happen. It’s what makes us human and frankly, I don’t think you’re fully human alive until you’ve gone through something. So bad things have to happen. They need to because it’s the only way we an know what good is and learn to appreciate it more. With faith and hope in the future, and sometimes a little dependence on the kindness of strangers, we can muster the strength to get through even the toughest of times. It is also what allows us to sympathize with others and show compassion to our fellow humans beings. After all, when you strip away everything people are so much alike. Babies are born with a divine vulnerability we all lose as we grow older and are shaped by both nature and nurture. We try to be perfect and chase after what we believe will bring us real happiness and soon we forget how to be real, and we lose sight of what the meaning of life is all about. Or we get so busy and stressed that we just give up and don’t even bother trying anymore.

I have encountered death, divorce, distance, disaster and dozens of inevitable circumstances outside of my control- these things have always happened and always will happen because life is made up up problems and struggle is the meaning of life. But it is important to let go of the bad and focus on the positive on what truly matters in life. But life is not meant to be perfect, only God (or whatever power you believe in) is perfect, and that is where we come from and where we will all return; life is a short period of divine chaos and it’s meant to be embraced. Anyone can be happy when all is well, but true beauty is only reflected if there is a light from within. One’s true character is only put to the test when one is able to maintain all of that positivity in the face of adversity, to apply what you know about pain and struggle and actually do it instead of simply talking about it.

It is so important to remember that even though the world is bad, and things change, and people are crazy, and you’re flawed and stressed and make mistakes and people have judged and hurt you and each other in war and it’s just not fair and you feel sad, scared, horrible sometimes, that’s a part of life and life is short but it flows within you and around you, with or without you, and the Earth as part of this universe continues on. Most importantly, it’s important to know that its okay to have days where you’re not perfect. It’s okay to have jumbled thoughts and to feel emotions you don’t understand; they’re meant to be felt so let them hit you, wash over you, flow away-this only means that you’re alive. It’s okay to have bad days and be negative and focus on the bad and cry sometimes, even its only to just let it all out, because it doesn’t define you or your life, you’re only human and its just an event that will always eventually pass, until you feel life once again flow through you. This is not to be taken lightly.

Struggle is the meaning of life, but its purpose is to embrace these struggles, face them with dignity, courage, unity, and resilience, and then work towards eliminating them not only from your own life, but from others lives, helping them to have better, happier lives with the same kind of faith, love, peace, happiness, health, success, laughter, balance, and purpose that is a part of my own life. After all, the highest highs and the lowest lows are of the same world. There will always be people seemingly luckier than you, and there will be even more that are in more pain than you, but everyone is going through their own journey in their own way and if we all put our problems in a pile, we’d grab our own back because the blessings always outweigh the disadvantages. I know I can never fix everyone’s problems- in fact, there are so many times when the negativity of the world overpowers my ability to stay positive- but I can do my part & realize that what’s most important is always rising up after being shot down, and never giving up.

As for me, well…there will always be someone more traditional, beautiful, famous, successful, adventurous or talented than me…and that is absolutely okay. No one is perfect or the best at everything, but everyone is the best at something and I know I can always improve and strive to reach the best in each aspect of my self, my life, and in my faith- and so can you! There is always something to be upset or worried about in all areas of life, but each aspect also has something good, and there are always new goals to hope for and look forwards too- It all depends on what one chooses to focus on when times get hard. When you encounter the negative, it’s okay to think about it and feel it instead of bottling it up or avoiding it, but then build up a nice set of effective coping skills to handle it, pray about it or write about it; change what you can and accept what you can’t, and leave the rest to God. If you dwell on the negative, you will never have enough, but if you focus on the positive, you will always be happy. As long as you are doing your best, trust in the Universe for the rest. There is only ever this moment, and everything is exactly as it should be…realize this and and you can find peace right now.