Living with tension

In every life, there is a cord of tension stretched between our ideals and our reality, between where we would like to be and where we are right now. Learning to embrace this tension is what this post is about.

We really hate tension as human beings and love to complain about it every chance we get. Starting a business is harder than we thought it would be; parenting is more challenging than we ever imagined; entrepreneurship is lonelier than we anticipated; writing the book is taking so much longer than we hoped. We zero in on these hardships like a scientist with a microscope and completely forget to enjoy the process and learn the lessons tucked away deep within.

The tension knocks most of us right off our feet. And instead of learning to live with it, letting it push us to become bigger and stronger, we lower our ideals and settle for less.

Then we complain because our lives are so boring, we feel no sense of adventure, challenge, risk, or fulfillment.

You see, when we set out to change our lives, our work, our businesses, our marriages, or our relationships, we will encounter tension. It is just part of the game. But the tension does not mean we should give up, curl up in a corner like a wounded puppy, and feel sorry for ourselves. The real good stuff in life comes about when we embrace and learn from the tension rather than complain about it.

Tension makes us stronger, it is the weight which builds mighty muscles and passionate spirits. It is simply part of the amazing journey we are on and no first rate story is without gobs and gobs of it!

How can you better learn from the tension in your life? 

Photo Credit: Nicholas “Lord Gordon” via Compfight cc