Overcoming Obstacles

Since I’ve started back in school, every semester has had obstacles that I have encountered and had to work through.  Almost all of them came at about the halfway point.  One semester my sister passed away, another semester I sprained my ankle and had a baby a few weeks later, the next semester my family was on a 3 week drive across the country.  This semester we’ve had a month of COVID running through our house.  The point being that there will always be an obstacle.  How can I be prepared to weather and overcome these obstacles?

The first way that I feel can prepare me is to expect obstacles.  I can handle anything that I expect – it’s the unexpected that has me scrambling.  Each semester I can make sure that I have a good support system in place. When I do, I can rely on this network to help me through whatever may pop up that is unexpected.  I also need to remember that I’m here on this earth to grow and there is no growth that doesn’t require overcoming an obstacle – whether physical, mental, or spiritual.

Another way to overcome obstacles would be to break obstacles down into smaller steps.   One of the videos had Eric Reis describing that when you find a problem, take the problem 5 problems deep.  The problem is rarely a stand-alone problem.  There are usually underlying issues that caused the problem in the first place.  Instead of trying to fix everything, fix one thing at each point of the problem.  By tackling the problem in small increments, you are progressing, but not being overwhelmed by the issue.  I can use this principle to help me overcome obstacles that I encounter.

The most important way to overcome obstacles is for me to seek the Lord.  I need to be prepared for them by taking care of my relationship with the Lord.  I don’t feel overwhelmed by life when I’m close to the Lord and have the Spirit with me.  The Lord can guide my steps and bring me peace while I navigate the difficult and the unexpected.