Print this page
Wednesday, 11 June 2014 12:02

Understanding Adversity Featured

Written by
Rate this item
(0 votes)

Adversity is defined as the obstacles, barriers, mountains, upsets, challenges, setbacks, afflictions, bad luck, calamities, disaster, misery, catastrophes, distress, hardship, ill-fortune, misfortune, woe, mishaps, sorrow, suffering, trials and troubles that we face in our lives. Adversity is the state

of hardship or misfortune. It can be both small and huge events in our lives.

The following can constitute an adversity in our lives like a broken cup or plate in the kitchen, a punctured car tyre, a sprained ankle playing tennis or football, missing the last bus home, losing your door keys or locking the keys in the car, discovering that you have left your money at home when you come to pay at the supermarket checkout, a burst pipe flooding your home, or coming home and finding you have been burgled. It could even be a boss stressing you in the office or a colleague making your life miserable.

Adversity is around us all the time, but it is the way we respond to it that determines if we are to succeed or fail in life. Your reaction to adversity affects your overall emotional and physical health. Adversity can cause the often apparent, mechanical reactions of depression and hopelessness. Dealing with, and responding to life adverse situations will cause you to have pressure and stress which result in possible psychological problems. And the pressures of life and the related stress, affect the blood pressure, cholesterol levels and the possibilities of heart attack. Adversity can also weaken your immune system, making you more susceptible to disease and illnesses. People who are optimistic live a healthier life than pessimistic people, because their attitude of mind and positive outlook on life means that they face and overcome the adverse situations with less stress.

I was reading the BBC column from Lewis Hamilton and he agreed that he thrives well under pressure. The truth is adversity can be our greatest motivation for spiritual growth or our deadliest means of discouragement - the difference is in understanding God’s purposes through adversity. It is important to know why it comes to our lives and how to respond to it. The biggest word here is ‘respond.’ When faced with adversity do you react to it or you respond to it? Your action will determine the final outcome. You cannot change the event but how you act towards the event will determine the kind, type and nature of the outcome you will get out from the event.

The ability to effectively respond to and overcome adversity, will not only reduce the effect it has on your physical and emotional health, it will enhance your performance, which will be seen in a greater focus, increased productivity and you will feel more creative. Less time will be spent blaming yourself and getting depressed and there will be a noticeable increase in the speed of recovery from the challenges and setbacks that you experience.

You will have a feeling of being in control and will have a constructive approach to how you address the challenges that you encounter each day. You now have more energy and a feeling of empowerment. And over time it will mean that you will have improved health. We should not be concerned about, or live in fear of Adversity. Instead we should welcome it as an opportunity to succeed. The people that experience fulfilment in their lives have had to endure many of the same adverse situations, but because they have a love of life, have had inspirational ideas and had faith in the outcome of their endeavours, they have overcome these adversities. The ability to transform adversity into a challenge or opportunity is one of the traits that are a virtue of mankind.

The truth is adversity is not something you can be prepared for until it is now and there. The best way to prepare for any kind of adversity is to be mentally strong, staying positive with a positive mind-set and training yourself to see the good in every situation.

When you are faced with a situation that you cannot change the event, there is no need wasting energy crying and blaming. There is no need crying over spilled milk. You need to invest your energy at this stage in what will work and not the event you are not in control of. The event has already happened. You need to learn from it so it doesn’t happen again and now you must equip yourself to respond to the situation. So don’t waste your time getting upset about the past that is no longer in your control.

Facing difficult challenges and overcoming them builds self-confidence, teaches self-control and tends to foster an attitude of conscientiousness towards others, who may also face difficulties. Adversity, painful and something we all hope to avoid but inevitable to avoid because it is part of being alive, can have a positive impact on our character.  We acquire qualities such as persistence, self-control, conscientiousness, self-confidence and curiosity from experiences with adversity.

When you are physically abused as a child, repetitively belittled abuse constantly, your body releases stress hormones.  These hormones physically damage a child’s developing brain. Too much stress leaves children hyper-vigilant, unable to focus and, as a result, unable to learn. These adverse childhood experiences can be quite pervasive and don’t contribute to success, but rather lead to mental health problems such as depression and anxiety, behavioural problems such as substance abuse, criminal behaviour and self-injury and physical health problems, such as STDs, cancer, heart disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes.

The good news is that our brains are capable of changing, growing and learning throughout our lives.  Counteracting and retraining the brain is not easy, but some treatments, such as mindfulness training and DBT have proved effective in helping people change emotion, behaviour and, in some cases, pathways in the brain.

Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) is a therapy designed to help people change patterns of behaviour that are not effective, such as self-harm, suicidal thinking and substance abuse. This approach works towards helping people increase their emotional and cognitive regulation by learning about the triggers that lead to reactive states and helping to assess with coping skills to apply in the sequence of events, thoughts, feelings and behaviours that lead to the undesired behaviour. DBT assumes that people are doing the best that they can, but either are lacking the skills or are influenced by positive or negative reinforcement that interfere with one’s functioning.

When an individual or child is faced with overwhelming adversity or significant life challenges over which they have no control, they don’t learn self-control, nor do they learn persistence.  Instead, they are more likely to learn helplessness or hopelessness. Abuse or experiencing multiple crisis that occur one after the next without time for recovery are two examples of overwhelming adversity that can impact those personality traits connected with life success.

Remember it is not the adversity here that is the problem but how you deal with it matters more than the adversity itself. Understanding the beauty of adversity can help us flourish and thrive in the midst of trouble. It is the foundational hope that God makes all things beautiful in His time, which works as an anchor to our soul, to carry us across the finish line of victory.  As much as we all hate it, resist it and do everything we can to avoid it, adversity works beautiful things within us. Looking for the positive in every circumstance gives you the power to turn the adversity into a challenge and in a challenge you find a silver lining, a miracle and a breakthrough.

Right at this moment you might be experiencing an adversity in your life. In the 2014 FA cup final within five minutes Arsenal FC was two goals down. The history was not in their favour. The first FA Cup competition in season 1871-72 had fifteen entries. That is about 142 years ago. On record it was only one team that has been two goals down and come back to win in 1966 and that was Everton, Merseyside’s against Sheffield Wednesday and this is a record 48 years ago. So Arsenal FC was having an adversity within 8 minutes of the game. Before half time they claimed back one goal.

Mikel Arteta captained the Arsenal Team and after the match when he was interviewed by the television crew he said something very interesting which I believe will help us all when faced with adversity. Mikel Arteta says Arsène Wenger’s half-time team talk help turn the FA Cup final in Arsenal’s favour. The manager’s speech at half-time was brilliant,” the Spaniard told Arsenal Player. “[He told us] to keep believing in how we should do it and keep performing. “He told us to stay calm. We had done the most difficult thing, which was to score the first one [after going two down] so now the game was open, we had plenty of time to do it, and we could not rush it. It was brilliant, I think the lads continued to play and we showed a lot of experience and composure. I’m really happy, it’s a happy day.

Next time you are faced with adversity and it looks like nothing is working for you, my advice is the same:

1.    Keep believing
2.    Keep performing
3.    Stay Calm
4.    Don’t be in a rush

The main issue is not about the adversity itself but how we handle and cope with it. Every problem in life can be described as adversity however it’s how we look at these obstacles that makes like easier. If you have the ability to turn adversity into a challenge instead of becoming depressed every time something goes wrong, the smaller problems in life won’t be a problem at all and the larger problems will be easier to deal with.

193308 comments

  • Comment Link supreme clothing Tuesday, 18 May 2021 04:38 posted by supreme clothing

    I actually wanted to jot down a simple remark to be able to say thanks to you for those wonderful concepts you are placing here. My particularly long internet search has at the end been paid with reliable suggestions to share with my neighbours. I 'd express that we visitors are really blessed to be in a great place with very many lovely professionals with useful tricks. I feel very much lucky to have used your entire site and look forward to tons of more amazing times reading here. Thank you once again for all the details.

  • Comment Link curry 7 Tuesday, 18 May 2021 04:38 posted by curry 7

    Needed to draft you the very little observation to help say thanks over again regarding the remarkable ideas you've discussed above. This is so pretty generous with people like you to convey unhampered precisely what some people would've offered for sale as an e-book to earn some dough on their own, primarily seeing that you might have tried it if you ever desired. These techniques likewise worked as the good way to be sure that many people have the same zeal just like my own to learn whole lot more pertaining to this condition. I am certain there are lots of more pleasurable moments in the future for many who discover your blog.

  • Comment Link yeezy boost 350 Tuesday, 18 May 2021 04:38 posted by yeezy boost 350

    I simply desired to say thanks once again. I am not sure the things I would have tried in the absence of the entire techniques discussed by you directly on such a subject matter. It was actually a real frightful setting for me, however , being able to view the professional approach you dealt with the issue forced me to leap with fulfillment. I am thankful for the advice and even pray you recognize what a powerful job you are always providing training many others via your webpage. I'm certain you have never met all of us.

  • Comment Link moncler jacket Tuesday, 18 May 2021 04:38 posted by moncler jacket

    I simply wished to appreciate you once more. I am not sure what I might have implemented in the absence of the actual solutions shared by you over this question. Certainly was an absolute fearsome situation for me, however , taking note of this expert way you resolved the issue took me to jump with contentment. I am just happy for the support and thus hope that you recognize what an amazing job you're doing instructing the mediocre ones with the aid of your web page. I am sure you have never met any of us.

  • Comment Link yeezy 700 Tuesday, 18 May 2021 04:38 posted by yeezy 700

    I needed to put you a very small note to finally say thank you as before for all the wonderful things you've featured in this case. It was really incredibly open-handed with people like you to present publicly exactly what a lot of folks could possibly have sold as an e-book in order to make some money on their own, most notably considering that you could possibly have done it if you ever wanted. These advice in addition served to become easy way to be sure that other individuals have similar dreams much like mine to know the truth many more in terms of this matter. I'm certain there are lots of more fun moments up front for individuals who look over your blog post.

  • Comment Link curry 6 shoes Sunday, 16 May 2021 13:20 posted by curry 6 shoes

    I must get across my love for your kindness for folks that should have help with this one subject. Your very own dedication to getting the message throughout became definitely significant and have usually made women like me to attain their dreams. Your interesting hints and tips implies this much a person like me and further more to my peers. Thanks a lot; from all of us.

  • Comment Link HarrynuM Friday, 14 May 2021 21:35 posted by HarrynuM

    п»їhow much does cialis cost with insurance: buy cialis cheaper online buy cialis rush
    https://cialisbnb.com/# buy cialis online in canada

  • Comment Link kawhi leonard shoes Friday, 14 May 2021 21:18 posted by kawhi leonard shoes

    I want to show some appreciation to the writer just for rescuing me from this difficulty. Just after exploring throughout the the net and getting proposals that were not productive, I figured my entire life was gone. Living minus the answers to the difficulties you've sorted out by way of your entire post is a critical case, and the ones that would have badly affected my career if I hadn't noticed your site. Your actual talents and kindness in controlling almost everything was tremendous. I am not sure what I would've done if I had not encountered such a solution like this. It's possible to at this moment look ahead to my future. Thanks a lot very much for this high quality and effective guide. I will not be reluctant to endorse your blog to anyone who needs support on this problem.

  • Comment Link giannis shoes Thursday, 13 May 2021 03:26 posted by giannis shoes

    I have to show some appreciation to this writer for rescuing me from this particular situation. Just after exploring throughout the world wide web and seeing methods that were not productive, I believed my life was done. Living devoid of the solutions to the difficulties you have solved through the report is a serious case, and the ones which might have in a negative way damaged my entire career if I hadn't come across your website. Your primary understanding and kindness in touching almost everything was valuable. I am not sure what I would've done if I hadn't come across such a stuff like this. I can also at this time look forward to my future. Thanks so much for the expert and amazing help. I will not hesitate to suggest your web blog to any individual who would like guidance about this situation.

  • Comment Link golden goose sneakers Tuesday, 11 May 2021 02:35 posted by golden goose sneakers

    I'm commenting to let you be aware of what a notable experience my wife's girl encountered reading through the blog. She came to find some things, which include what it's like to possess an incredible coaching nature to get other people clearly know precisely specified specialized topics. You truly exceeded our expectations. Many thanks for displaying those warm and friendly, trusted, edifying and in addition fun guidance on that topic to Jane.