Thought for the Day

I was raised on "Thought for the Day" ~ I love them and continue to do my own version each and every day.  Another way I get thoughts for the day is through my mother.  A very spiritual person, she sends out "Thought for the Day/Prayer Requests" emails.  Usually her 'thoughts' are spot on and very meaningful to me.  Today's is no exception - this one has been meaningful all of my life, Anais Nin's quote is one I adore, and I wanted to share. 

Lessons repeat themselves until we learn them.   

Sometimes we hear a wake-up call but prefer to pull the covers over our heads so we can slumber and dream a little longer.  We may ignore, resist, rationalize, or deny reality for a considerable time.  That’s okay – our schooling is entirely self-paced, but the lessons keep coming until our actions change.

If we don’t learn the easier lessons, they get harder.  

 Resistance to learning (or change) reaps more dramatic consequences over time – not to punish us but to get our attention.  As Anaïs Nin wrote, “There came a time when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”

We learn and grow through challenges, 

and every adversity has hidden gifts.   

We’ve all experienced physical, mental, and emotional pain.  Yet each challenge has brought a greater measure of strength, wisdom, and perspective.  We may not welcome a challenge or embrace unexpected change, loss or disappointment, but looking back, and over time, we come to appreciate the gifts of adversity.

This was an excerpt from: The Four Purposes of Life: Finding Meaning and Direction in a Changing World by Dan Millman