I look at the world around me …. I listen to the news and see the faces of strangers as I walk down the street. Its a season of tough times and hard luck. Pockets are empty and budgets are strained. Minds are full of shoulda ,woulda ,coulda’s and hearts are heavy with the burdens that this show called life can often seem to bring. The rich & famous even seem down the glitz of Hollywood hardly dims the shadows of sadness that surrounds them and the whole world seems sad and desperate. Even those who are used to having material things are feeling the pinch , Maybe your used to picking up that designer bag or those exquisite shoes but the days of shopping seem like a distant memory. The coffee mornings with the selected few now seem unaffordable and your social network seems to dwindle like the notes seem to be doing within your purse sleeves of late. Its more than not being able to buy designers shoes for some, food banks are overrun and even the proudest single parent has found that asking for help is no longer a task that is now beneath them. Governments are crying broke and nations seem to be borrowing fresh air to clear off huge debts with the taxes of those who can barely make ends meet. But the profound thing is when its all said and done , without the designers bags and the cupboards full of food. The friends that didn’t stay and the relationships that didn’t last, we are still remarkably alive. Life is full of what I call extras.. The glossy bits , The Glitz and The Glam. The bits that often deceive us into thinking they make life worth living!! but through the good times and the bad we still continue to remain. There is something so tenacious about the human spirit, It does more than survive , it lives! So many terrible events have occurred since the dawn of this earth creation to entire nations and individuals equally; But alongside all the horrors there is so much around us that we can be grateful for. Heroes and Heroines who despite frightful circumstances somehow managed to make a difference to the world we live in and now inhabit. If you think of the worst moment of your life last year and bring yourself back to that day when you thought to yourself. ” I just can’t take one step further” now your here looking back on that memory with a smile as you can now remember what you have overcome. Tough times come to make you tougher, stronger and wiser, and although they often come with the appearance of an assassin , they are simply training hurdles preparing you for your next step. Its easy to say don’t quit when its not my heart that has been broken a million times and its not my tears that soak your pillow as you lay alone at night, thinking about problem 300 of 1000. But I promise you “Tough times don’t last but Tough people do” A wise man once said take each day as it comes, Take what you can get from it and discard the rest. Take no luggage with you only carry the essentials of life , Love ,peace, joy, wisdom of lessons learnt and avoided and of course gratitude. Pack these in your Diva rucksack and continue in your journey. Every adventure has hiccups, it would make a very dry, placid tale if everything went right and you just got everything you ever wanted without breaking a sweat. You see it is the investment of sweat that makes it all worthwhile. Its the hard work and the tales of victory against dire adversity that make the story worth telling. Who would care if you just woke up wise, rich and powerful. What tale would you have to share as you met other life travellers along the way if you never have had the experience of tough times and the understanding that anything worth having is worth working hard for. Tough times are not just there to make us stronger but they are also there to help us , help others. How will they know that its possible if no one is there to show them how its done. How will they overcome if you never do. The world is full of wonders never seen and hope never told, why wallow in tough times when such amazing times lay ahead. So money or no money, Givenchy or no Givenchy. Husband or no Husband, Loss or no Loss you will always have YOU! and the good news is everything you could ever need to have the life you desire is inside YOU! Times come and go but YOU! well thats eternal….. I was thinking about Richard Branson one of the worlds richest men and I recalled his memoirs when he spoke about about the banks turning him away for investment in the early part of his journey. The man that was once turned away from banks is now a BANK!!! how ironic is this show called life.
Jay is the author of the upcoming series The Diva Commandments. A set of 12 books detailing twelve vibrant commandments to ensure every woman is able to live a life of Diva. Jay is also a freelance writer, poet & social entrepreneur.
