Don’t lose hope

Challenges are not problems at all

Photo of the author teaching her daughter to swim.

I used to think that I have so many problems but as I learn and grow, I understand that I do not have that many problems.

What I have are many challenges.

A problem is a clear issue that causes difficulty, like a flat tire on a car. A flat tire like most problems needs to be fixed. A challenge on the other hand is more about a situation that requires effort to overcome like training for a marathon or learning to swim. It is an opportunity to improve.

When I found myself at the lake with my hyperactive daughter who wanted to be in the water but wasn’t the best swimmer, it was a challenging situation because I did not want to be in the water.

I don’t know how to swim.

At first, I used to think that my challenges were problems to solve and so I had a very uncomfortable relationship with my challenges but I now understand the purpose of my challenges.

They are not problems at all.

I stopped calling things problems and started calling them challenges.

I may have many challenges in my life and that’s okay, know why?

Because I’m going somewhere.