Hard Times
The title of this journal post might make you think I’m about to talk about something heavy or negative. In reality, after last week’s post on positive addictions, it got me thinking about hard times and how my outlook and the way I deal with them have shifted toward something more constructive. I’ve been reflecting on how difficult moments challenge us to grow, and how they can often give us a sense of purpose and direction.
One of the opportunities that bikes have given me is the chance to travel. Not so much these days, with a family at home, but throughout most of my twenties, I was constantly on the road. Seeing new countries and spending time in unfamiliar places was incredible, but the most meaningful part was meeting people from all walks of life. Some were wealthy, others certainly not, and the perspective and self-reflection this gave me later in life has been invaluable. Without a doubt, some of the most important lessons I learned came from spending time with people who had less and who had lived through genuinely hard times.
Like most people, when challenges came up in my life, my default response was self-pity, asking questions like why me? Or when will I get a break? If I’m being honest, many of those moments were probably minor compared to what others deal with daily. Realistically, I’ve lived a fairly easy life, and for a long time, that was by intention.
In more recent years, though, some real challenges, maybe even what could genuinely be called hard times, have arisen, and I’ve had to change my approach. That old habit of blaming someone or something else, rather than taking ownership, quickly proved to be unsustainable.
I started reading and listening to the idea that maybe the situation I was in wasn’t purely a negative thing. What if it was something I could make it through and come out the other side a little smarter, better, and stronger for whatever came next? That way of thinking might sound simple to adopt, but in reality, it usually takes something genuinely difficult to shift your mindset into that place. The proof really is in the pudding. Once you’ve done it once, the next time becomes that bit easier, simply because you remember how it felt to get through the last challenge.
Hard times can become a source of purpose, a driving force in life, and a way to find fulfilment through action. For a long time, drifting along the easy road, avoiding discomfort, and not caring too deeply about much was my default setting, but that approach only takes you so far. Becoming a dad and trying to build a business of my own forced me to face some genuinely life-changing challenges, and in doing so, I began to see the value and even the greatness in adversity.
Coming full circle, I hope this hasn’t read like some righteous rant about my admittedly mediocre ability to deal with life’s challenges. What has always helped, and continues to be a constant in my personal evolution, is a solid foundation and passion for bikes. This simple escape can become the vessel that helps you discover and connect with people who, often without even knowing it, provide the tools you need to navigate life’s challenges.
I’ll leave you with two quotes from a podcast I was listening to today that inspired this post:
“Doing hard things that you know are hard and you know you need to do will always develop a sense of worth and value.”
“A midlife crisis is seen as this terrible thing we should be scared of, when in fact it is actually life pointing out the things that are no longer serving you.”