I was reading the book Falling Upward by Richard Rohr and he quoted Carl Jung: “Where you stumble and fall, therein lies your gold.”
That made me stop, put the book down, and think about what I just read. Stumbling and falling will bring us to our gold? Seriously?!
As I pondered what Carl Jung said, I realized that he’s telling us that stumbling, falling, making mistakes, wrestling with problems are a normal and natural part of living. When we’re having a rough time of it, we aren’t being punished and it isn’t because we’re flawed or worthless. Challenges are an invitation to dive into the depths of ourselves and discover more about our true selves.
It’s probably a little much to ask and expect ourselves to be joyful when we run into a rough patch, but we can minimize our distress my remembering what Carl Jung said. Somewhere within that problem lies the gift of deeper understanding and compassion for ourselves and our fellow travelers along the way.
What do you think, have you found that obstacles have helped you grow? Let me know in the comments below. Thanks!
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Your Friend and Pep Pal,
Lauren
Yes I Can Pep Talks 