Recently, I read the book “Gathering Blue” by Lois Lowry.  It is part of a trilogy which I really got into.  ”Take pride in your pain because you will be stronger than those who don’t” was one quote from the book that really stuck with me.

Pain is usually thought of as a bad thing;  an experience that people don’t want to have to go through.   However, the quote from Gathering Blue tells us that pain can help in many ways.  Pain hurts us now but will make us more prepared for the future.  Just having the pain is not enough. You actually need to get in the mindset of taking pride in your pain.  It may sound a little weird. I know it did to me at first but pride is what helps you learn from your pain and gives you the ability to move on.

People who don’t recognize this put themselves on a  pedestal because they think they are better than everyone else.  It is similar to accepting defeat or quitting an argument.  Don’t pride yourself in winning but be proud of being a big enough person to accept defeat.  You can’t win all of the time and no one is right all of the time either.

Whether it’s a business situation or a personal one, take pride in your pain, struggles, challenges, and losses.  It’s what helps us deal with the tough things in life and teaches us that we are usually stronger than we give ourselves credit for.