I’ve been thinking a lot lately on what it means to be strong. Not in the physical sense, but mentally and soulfully. The past couple years, I have been through some trying times; times that have definitely tested my willpower, my sanity, my trust in others and, most devastatingly, my faith in myself.

But one thing remains the same. I’ve bounced back, every time, without fail, despite the hurt, the confusion, the betrayals. And each time the recovery has gotten a bit easier, so much so that it’s almost a relief when things don’t go as planned, or even more so when they go horribly wrong.

You see, I’ve learned along my path that whenever a particular moment comes to an end, whenever a door closes in my face, whenever someone leaves unexpectedly or whenever I feel my life has shattered into a million tiny pieces, it simply means that that was not the place I was supposed to be.

These moments are when it is vital to reinforce your strongholds, to have mental fortitude, and to be bold in the decisions you make for your future self; to not entertain negative thoughts or people, and to find another way to achieve your pursuits that is more aligned to your true self.

Unfortunately, sometimes it takes your world to crash around your feet to really wake you up to the reality that you were meant to be living a different life than the one you veered off course to pursue.

We’re often blinded by things like money, love, false pretenses, seemingly good intentions and influential people, so much so that we forget our true purpose and instead follow the shiny gold coin. It can be mesmerizing, fantastical and almost too good to be true. Sometimes it’s not. Most times, it is.

Looking back, there have been many times I felt a pull in my gut trying to warn me of my missteps. I won’t call them mistakes. Wherever you wander is never wrong, and every experience will teach you something even if it isn’t the best for you at that time. But if you pay attention, really pay attention, you’ll be able to feel when you’ve diverted.

Perhaps you needed the diversion; to be off course for a while; to float without purpose. Maybe you just needed to have some fun. We all need a break sometimes. But maybe, just maybe, that alternate road is simply a detour that will lead you right where you need to be. A layover in reality, so to speak. If you find yourself there, embrace it.

Some stops are longer than others, but if you’re in tune with your truth, you’ll begin to see the signs that it’s time to move on to your higher purpose, your true calling, and time to let go of the pieces and people that no longer belong in this new picture of yourself. Every ending is a chance at a new beginning, so they say.

It is important in these times to learn to really persevere, to move on and move forward, with a stronger sense of self, and a knowledge that you will come out more resilient on the other side. Eventually the trials will be easier to overcome because you will know the rewards to come will be so much greater than the pain you’re feeling now. Keep your inner light shining regardless of pitfalls. You’ll need it to embark on the journey of a lifetime someday.

Always be ready for someday to be today; for that moment to be this very moment. Do not waiver, and if you fall, and you will, fall gracefully. Even in our darkest times, we must continue to cultivate courage and sew new seeds of our strength; to be truthful, be humble, be compassionate and, above all, never stop loving ourselves.

In the end, you are all you have. Be the best, strongest you you can be.

~Daneen