Hi Reader and Happy Monday!

Can you believe that we are in the last week of September?

Time is definitely moving along and 4th quarter in coming up fast!

Question...What have you learned from your challenges and/or setbacks so far this year?

Do you consider challenges and setbacks as opportunities for change and growth? Do you embrace challenges and setbacks as opportunities to strengthen your character and faith?

As I have transitioned through various stages in my life, I have learned much about myself and my capabilities through challenges and setbacks. Many times they occurred when I was moving towards new heights, or transitioning to another destination on life’s journey. No matter the time, there was always a lesson and opportunity for growth which has helped me to strengthen my character, faith, and personal wellness from a holistic perspective.

We all know that challenges and setbacks are inevitable in life but how we respond to them is what matters most. When adversity strikes, we can choose to see it as an obstacle that blocks our path forward or as a blessing that helps us see things from a different perspective in order to stay on track with accomplishing our goals.

Challenges and setbacks are a natural part of life's process of learning, growing, and developing. They help us learn to think in new ways and to become better at solving problems. They also help us develop the following five essential qualities:

1. Resiliency - the ability to bounce forward and beyond when life knocks you down. You can build your resiliency by seeing difficulties as opportunities for strengthening your inner self. Resiliency doesn't happen overnight. It takes time, commitment, and personal control to develop resiliency.
2. Resourcefulness - the ability to find more efficient and innovative ways to overcome challenges and setbacks. When it comes to your personal wellness goals, it could be finding a community/support group, an accountability partner or a coach who will help you stay on course to sustain transformational results.
3. Patience - the ability to wait without feeling anxiety or impatience. It is a skill that can be learned and strengthened with practice. Life is a series of challenges, and overcoming these challenges demands patience. Patience originates from self-awareness and self-control; by recognizing your emotions and deciding how to respond, you increase your chances for success. From a spiritual perspective, developing patience allows you to trust in the process and grow in your faith.
4. Discipline - the ability to control how you react and stay focused on what needs to be done to successfully overcome challenges to achieve your goals. Developing self-discipline is a process of building small consistent daily habits over time to help us achieve changed behaviors to obtain desired outcomes.
5. Obedience - the ability to listen to, obey and carry through with GOD's will. It also leads to personal growth and wellness. If you have verged off course, challenges and setbacks have a way of bringing you back to the core spiritual principle of practicing obedience which is essential for spiritual growth. For example, sometimes we fail to do the right thing because we choose to seek the approval of others instead of being obedient to GOD’s will.

Challenges and setbacks are designed to help you to look within and discover your true source of faith. This can bring clarity, comfort, focus, peace, and strength. They also provide stories and testimonies that you can share with others to help them prevent, avoid, and overcome the same mistakes and discomforts that you've learned from.

So, remember that challenges and setbacks are inevitable. It's how you respond and learn from them that matters most!

Affirmation:

"I choose to embrace and make every challenge and setback an opportunity for growth. This way, I strengthen my character and faith, which allows me to rise above my circumstances and reach new heights—spiritually, mentally, emotionally, socially and physically."

Be Blessed and Enjoy Your Week!

Yolanda Tate CEO, Elevate 2 Wellness, LLC W www.elevate2wellness.com/ E hello@elevate2wellness.com "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." - Charles R. Swindoll.

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