As I received the news that a good friend was recently diagnosed with Cancer I have been reflecting on my experience with beautiful people I have known, and it dawned on me that they all have known setback, suffering, struggle and loss and have found their way out of the depths of hopelessness, and risen above it all to taste the sweet victory. They gain an appreciation, sensitivity and understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep love for life and others. Then I realized that beautiful people don’t just happen, they evolve. You are a compilation of your experiences and as long as you stay positive and present in the moment to learn from the experience, you will gain more strength and be triumphant. Be determined and not allow any negativity to cloud your mind. And remember that you have to battle some bad days to earn the best days of your life. Be courageous, but having courage is not always the ‘yeah I did it’; sometimes courage is the quiet whisper at the end of the day saying ‘’I will try again tomorrow’. Courage is not you always holding yourself together, but sometimes it’s the gentle openness to lean on someone else. Courage is the ability to realize that you can do what you can control. And at the end of it all having the ability to truly internalize the experience and look in the face of the fear saying ‘I am not afraid’.

Let’s go back to basics, as with any challenge, first understand it with a clear mind, no guilt, and no fear. Guilt and fear are the most destructive emotions that drain your energy. I know, you say easier said than done. Meditate; center your mind, body and spirit. Meditation is the key in slowing down the body and mind to allow you to get rid of the distractions, so make meditation a part of your daily routine. Then have a plan that you can commit to and no matter how difficult, keep your commitment. If there is a setback, don’t deny it, deal with the emotions, lean on your loved ones and let them carry you for the moment, then snap out of it and say to yourself, ‘I’ll try again tomorrow’.

Emotions are the strongest distraction for us, and it is ingrained in our existence, most of the time we don’t realize how we allow it to deprive us of all, much better outcomes we can experience. . Even though you have to recognize, realize, and deal with emotions, but don’t allow emotions to drown you. Remembering not to become a victim even when you feel like one, or be angry even when you feel the anger, or depressed, even when you feel the sadness. This is the trickiest part of this journey. And yes this is a part of your journey and that is all.

Shohreh Rostami