Stars Can’t Shine Without Darkness

Don’t fear unexpected challenges – It is an opportunity to grow and learn

When writing articles I always choose a topic which is a present topic in my or my client’s life. This time I am writing the article from a beach in Thailand, where I didn’t know 12 hours ago that I will be here. Due to unexpected changes I had to go on this trip. At the first moment it was challenging as I had to organize ticket, accommodation, cancel many appointments and re-arrange schedules with my team. Even though time was tight, in the end it all worked out and I gained lots of new insights that I want to share with you.

1. Believe.

When you are in a crisis, breathing doesn’t help to keep you relaxed – but believing that you are exactly where you need to be and that all happens for a reason will keep you happy even though you have 1000 things to organize and handle.

2. Ask for help.

Most likely you have wonderful friends, families and teams that will be happy to support you. I get goose pumps when I am thinking how well the re-organization went when I think of all the people I know who were there to offer help – but of course it needed my announcement and asking some specific people for help first.

3. Make time for things you love.

I love traveling and exploring, but running my own companies and having various commitments to clients, I don’t make enough time for it. So even though this travel were quite unexpected, I do enjoy being here now. It also helped me to change perspective in some areas… always being in our routine makes us a routine, forgetting to make time for what we love to do.

4. Simplify & Unclutter your life for new and fresh energy.

Look around you – how many things do you see that you haven’t used for longer than one year? For most of us there are many. Get rid of them and give them to people who need them most. I have recently donated 5 cartons to charity and it felt great. Now packing for this travel all I needed to live and work comfortably abroad actually fits in one 32 litre backpack.

5. A smooth sea doesn’t make a skilled sailor.

We all have and need challenges or otherwise our life would be monotonous, where we wouldn’t appreciate the times when all went smooth and wouldn’t grow. So take challenges on as a chance to grow and don’t view it as the world is going to end. The moment you stop accepting challenges, is the moment you stop moving forward.

I enjoy the journey, I take on the challenges and it feels great – try it out!