an object of understanding. Understanding implies abilities and dispositions with respect to an object of knowledge sufficient to support intelligent behaviour.

The lack of understanding is the reason people are destroyed. Whatever you think was or is the reason for the destruction is not the reason but the main reason is the lack of understanding. You cannot prevent the negative events that try to discourage you in life because it is part of life; it is a part of what will make you stronger. All you need is the power to rise above it. How can you rise above what you have no understanding about?

More marriages are failing; most marriages fail not because couples are not in love anymore but because they lack understanding on how to balance things and deal with the pressures that comes with the marriage. Most people think marriage is blissful so they are never prepared for crisis and when they experience one they break and crumble before you know it.

When you are going through tough time we are told it is a challenge. Have you stop for a while and think about what a challenge really is? Have you ever opened the dictionary to read and understand the real and true definition of the word “Challenge?” I bet you haven’t and yet you complain and belief that because of all the things you go through life is not good. Here are some definitions:

As a noun: challenge; plural noun: challenges
•    A call to someone to participate in a competitive situation or fight to decide who is superior in terms of ability or strength
Synonyms: dare, provocation; summons
•    A task or situation that tests someone’s abilities
Synonyms: problem, difficult task, test, trial; trouble, bother, obstacle
•    An attempt to win a contest or championship in a sport
•    A call to prove or justify something
Synonyms: confrontation with, dispute with, stand against, test of, opposition, disagreement with; questioning of, defiance, ultimatum
•    A guard’s call for a password or other proof of identity
•    Dispute the truth or validity of
Synonyms: question, disagree with, object to, take exception to, confront, dispute, take issue with, protest against, call into question; demur about/against, dissent from, be a dissenter from

Now let’s take each of these definitions and expand them in relation to you as a person.

A Challenge is a Call  
We are told that a challenge is a call to someone to participate in a competitive situation or fight to decide who is superior in terms of ability or strength.
What is a call? A call is a demand. Since a challenge is a call it is a demand for you to participate in this life competition, you have no other option but to participate. Participation is compulsory and mandatory. Life is not a bed of roses. People out there want to surpass you. Your colleagues strive to be better than you so they can be promoted, earn higher salaries and probably manage you. It is not a bad thing. It is call competition.

No matter how intelligent you think you are there are people that are more intelligent than you. This is not an insult; it is the truth. This is the reason why you need to continue to work hard and never give up. Challenges are here to make you improve in the areas you face them. Challenges come to make you superior over the situation in question. It comes to increase your ability and strength. So you must embrace the challenges of life when they knock on your door.

When bad things happen to people that don’t understand the importance of challenges in their life, they give in and think the world is against them. In the course of anyone’s lifetime, “bad” things are guaranteed to happen. There is nothing wrong if bad things happen for it is a part and parcel of life. I believe there is something wrong if it never happened. I am not being negative here. I am saying that so long as life exists things are not always going to be rosy and sweet. There will be times it will be sour and when it does turn bitter it does not mean it is the end of your life. It is just a challenge that you have to overcome.

Also when bad things happen there is nothing right or wrong about it. Things simply happen.  They are neither good nor bad or right nor wrong.  It is much more useful and accurate to see these events as challenges.  Challenges, in all sizes, shapes and forms, are essential to an evolving life; they are essential to a spiritual life; they are essential to our journey here on earth, and they are not going away. It is a call for you to step up. It is a call for you to improve your game plan. It is a call for you to be better in what you do. It is a call for you to advance in that area you faced the challenge. When there is a challenge in a particular area in your life it means there is an issue you need to address that will bring improvement. It means there is still work to be done.

Also we are told a challenge is a call to prove or justify something. Have you been proven yet? Challenges reveal your true identity and value in life. You are a product and every product needs to be validated. Challenges does this for you and you know areas that need further improvements so you begin to work on these areas until the product is right and irresistible. Stop complaining when you face the challenges of life. They are there to make you better and improve your quality. You don’t just sit and fold your hands; it is a time to work on you so you can improve the quality of what you radiate.

A Challenge is a Test
Challenge is a task or situation that tests someone’s abilities. Many people fail the test of life because they don’t know they are writing an exam. Every day our abilities are tested by the situations we face and the things that are in front of us. We have an obligation to equip our mind, body and soul so we are able to deal with these tests as they arise. Stop being stupid thinking the world is against you when faced with challenges. You’re not cursed because you’re going through some stuff. Everyone out there has something in their life even if they are not showing it.

Challenges can sometimes be consequences, but they are not punishments hurled at you because you’re bad or you made a mistake. Wither you made a mistake or not, even if you’re perfect in all respect you will still face challenges.  You now need to do away with this myth, as well as the myth that “bad things should only happen to bad people”; or “life is wrong when bad things happen to good people.”  Everyone no matter their height, race, gender, sexuality, nature, tribe, religion, status, qualification, experience and quality faces all sorts of challenges.  All challenges, regardless of their source, are opportunities for you to grow; they are opportunities for you to take your power back from what you are afraid of; they are opportunities for you to become powerful and authentic and find out who you really are.

When you pass a test you are promoted. The test of life comes to promote you to the next level. This is good news to me and not bad as we all thrive to advance in life. Challenges enable you to become powerful because they automatically trigger your deepest issues and force you to face your fears and all the things that have been hindering you to progress.  It is our fear-based thinking that holds us back from living a life that we love, and challenges are what give us the opportunity to confront and change this kind of thinking.

I don’t know what your challenges are at the moment but I want you to embrace them with love because they are your teacher and the teacher is willing and ready to reveal things you never knew about you. When you get these revelations, you will use them to your own advantage and improve the quality of the life you live.