By: DeAnna Williams
OwlFeed Journalist

In life, everyone goes through hardships. Sometimes we get stuck and don’t know what to do or where to go from our current position. In other cases, we may be afraid to reach out for help even if it is needed. 

One of the most important things to remember when going through a hard time is that everyone goes through it eventually. The only thing that is different is the timing. We do not all go through things at the same time, so just because someone else may be getting over their adversities does not mean you have to get over yours at the exact same time. 

The people you surround yourself with play a big role as well. When you are in an emotional state, it is important to surround yourself with supportive and encouraging people. It is crucial to realize that the people you surround yourself with can change your outlook on the situation you are in, whether it be negative or positive. It can be challenging overcoming hardships but with a good support system, it is not as difficult.

“My daughter was my main strength through my hardest time,” Jennifer Tenorio, a family member of mine said. “She always has such a positive outlook on everything, that is something I admire so much about her.” 

“I did a lot of reading and praying, I listened to a lot of music. Increasing time with my family helped so much. It took me at least 3 years to accept it but I did feel stronger in the end,” Anita Reeves, a sub here at AFHS said. “A word of advice to anyone going through anything, don’t deny it, use as much time as you need to accept it, but do not deny it.”

Understanding and acceptance are key when recovering. Understand that time will not heal all wounds. Years, months, weeks could go by and there is a chance you may still be hurt like it was yesterday. The only sure remedy for a wound is yourself. Every situation can be viewed differently, therefore handled differently. 

The way you view adversity can affect you more than you may know, so it is important to try to think positive at all times. Look at the brighter side of things. Take everything as a learning experience and keep in mind that everything happens for a reason. 

A change in environment can also be very helpful, even if it is just for a few days. For example, moving to Arizona felt like a breath of fresh air for me, it was exactly what I needed. The few months I have been here, I have slowly learned to let everything negative go and start seeing the positive side of life. 

Meeting new people and letting people from the past go has made one of the biggest impacts on my happiness. But it is still important to remember that the biggest and most pure source of happiness comes from yourself. Your hardship is a blessing in disguise, you may not think so at the moment, but eventually one day you will be able to look back and feel that you are stronger because of it.