Embracing the Bad Stuff {Episode 6}

If you're human, then you probably know that we spend most of our life just trying to feel good.

The problem with this chronic avoidance of negative emotion is that the hard, bad and scary stuff is actually what makes the good stuff BETTER.

Understanding this concept and embracing the "bad" stuff will ensure you can fully step into the role of entrepreneur and become a shining example of God's light.

Today's topic is one of my favorite spiritual topics but it has so much relevance in entrepreneurship and reaching big, scary goals. It's the idea that this life requires an opposition in all things. Good vs. evil, yin and yang, joy and sorrow, light and dark.

Our lower brain's main desire is to always be happy and lazy; it does not understand this concept at all. It wants to completely eliminate anything that might be hard or bad. In life coaching we call this the concept of 50/50 or the idea that life here on earth will always be full of equal parts good and bad.

But here's my question for you: WHY do we want to avoid these things? Most of us never ask this question because it feels obvious. We avoid anything that makes us feel negative emotion because we don't like feeling sad or scared or shameful.

It's important to realize, however, that this is ALL that "bad" things do: create a feeling we don't like. Have you realized that? The reason we call things "bad" is simply because they create negative emotion.

Our desire to stay away from things that are hard or bad or sad, is simply a desire to NOT feel the things I just described. Isn't that fascinating? That's not a bad thing, but it's important to remember that no matter how good we ever figure out how to feel, there will always be bad feelings right next door. Why? because that's how God designed us and earth life.

In His infinite wisdom, He knew that we could only reach our greatest potential for joy and happiness, by being exposed to the greatest sorrow and misery. Here are a few examples to understand how it's true that positive emotions are magnified by the negative emotions.

The joy of giving birth to a baby after a miscarriage or infant loss. The success that comes after years of toil and sacrifice. The happiness of a second marriage after the heartache of divorce.

But what does all this have to do with building a business? As entrepreneurs, we have to learn that we can't just tolerate hard things or push them away or do our best to escape them. Like the toddler who has to fall down before she can learn to walk, avoiding the hard parts will just ensure you stay small.

In addition to building an incredible business, allowing the hard parts in will ensure you become the best version of yourself, overall! Building my business has taught me some of the most incredible lessons, not inspite of the hard things but because of them.

I challenge you to look for the beauty and magic in these dichotomies. Both in your life and the world around you. What has been your darkest trial or struggle? What did you learn? Where has the joy come from that? Psalm 30: 5 - weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. I can't wait for you to embrace all of this path of burning brightly - every last part of it will be worth it, I promise!

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