“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree.” −Psalm 92:12-14
These empowering words from scripture compare the strength of the human spirit that is in alignment with the Word of GOD, to the strength and perseverance of the palm tree. It is well known that palm trees in their natural habitat, can endure and persevere in some of the harshest climates and weather conditions throughout the world. In extremely hot and dry climates, it can flourish by having a root system that allows it to be able to tap into deep sources of water underground. During severe storms, the palm tree’s deep root system also allows it to withstand torrential rains and hurricane force winds. To add to its ability to endure, the palm tree is also able to bend significantly with the winds. Unlike other species of trees that may break under similar conditions, the palm tree becomes stronger and taller with this bending, as its trunk grows larger due to the continuous stress and forces of the winds. Lastly, to add to all of its amazing qualities and strengths, the palm tree can also produce fruit regardless of changing seasons and weather conditions.
There are many lessons that we can take from the adaptability and strength of the palm tree. Similarly to the conditions and storms that are imposed upon the palm tree, life imposes its own storms on us. Our ability to weather these storms and grow from them is intrinsically connected to how well we heed GOD’s Word and His instructions to navigate these storms. Through nature, the palm tree not only has adapted to the harshness of its environment, but it uses its environment as a source of growth and strength. This raises the question for each of us: Are we appreciating and embracing the storms that we are in? As we come face to face with the storms of life, we can choose to plant our roots deep in faith, which will allows us to bend and grow with the storm or we can break or snap as we succumb to the storm −the choice is ours.
A Strong Foundation
Just when you are cruising along and things finally seem like they are going your way is when life will come up with creative ways to knock you off of your game. It could be something as simple as an argument with a friend, traffic, or someone talking on their cell phone next to you on the treadmill. Life sure can make life tough if we let it. Our ability to deal with life, to keep moving forward, to block out distractions, and to remain unstoppable −It all comes down to faith and focus. Faith in GOD and the ability to focus on the things that matter and not the things that don’t. These are the keys that will unlock the doors to our goals and dreams.
Traveling this bumpy road that we call life, I have discovered along the way that one of the best ways to stay on your game is to develop a mental behavior pattern that allows you to push through life’s challenges without allowing these challenges to have a negative impact on your overall attitude. This requires you to constantly work on yourself and developing that inside voice that says, “I am bigger than my challenges.” Our confidence is born out of this voice. We have all heard the phrase that “We are sometimes our worst enemy.” It is up to us to decide whether this holds true or not.
Crushing that internal enemy means that you have to stand up to you! “It’s not my fault,” “This isn’t fair,” or “Why me?” are just some of the “spirit-destroying” conversations that will play out in your head over and over again if you let them. It’s easy to get sucked into a negative back and forth dialogue with yourself. In some ways, it comforts us to have these conversations with ourselves because it removes the responsibility we have to ourselves. Make no mistake about it, being responsible for overcoming our challenges requires work. For most of us, the last thing we want to think about is work, when we are going through a tough situation. Unfortunately, there’s no way around this work if we want to become strong in the face of our challenges.
Like any task or job that we may despise but choose to remain committed in hopes of a rewarding outcome, the same is true of working through our challenges. The pay and reward comes in the form of confidence, a stronger sense self, and even a certain level invincibility. None of which would have come without our willingness to push through our challenges on the way to achieving our goals.
In order to get to the point in our lives that we truly and confidently believe in ourselves, we have to be willing to be tested. We have to be willing to persevere through the pressures and the fights on the way to reaching our goals. Sometimes we bring these tests upon ourselves and other times they are presented to us as part of life. In either case, we have to convince ourselves that we are capable and ready for challenges. Throughout my own trials, something as simple as just “believing in myself” has been my strongest weapon in helping me battle some of my toughest challenges.
Having studied mechanical engineering in college, one of the things I admire the most about having majored in engineering is the intensity and frequency in which I was tested. Making it through all of the calculus, physics, chemistry, and engineering classes is, by far, the toughest thing I have ever accomplished. As a result of that intensive and brutal program, there are quite a number of arrows I have been able to add to my quiver. For example, whenever I face a difficult challenge, I ask myself, “Will getting through this be harder than engineering school?” Every time the answer is no. Also, when attempting to solve a problem and coming up with the answer seems impossible, I remember the importance of stepping away and clearing your head. Sometimes coming back to a problem, with a fresh perspective is all it takes to come up with a workable solution. These are just some of the powerful lessons I picked up in engineering that I am able to apply to everyday life.
Being an engineer is my rock, my foundation. I have to sell myself every day on the idea that I am an engineer and therefore, I am mentally equipped to overcome any challenge and solve any problem that life throws at me. We all have a battle that we are proud of winning, a place of strength where we can spring from to face our challenges. This place should serve as the “foundational rock” for growth and propelling forward as we pursue our goals. It is up to us to sell ourselves every day on the strength of this “foundational rock,” which we build our confidence and abilities upon. To acknowledge the existence of our “foundational rock” is the first step in building confidence in knowing what we are capable of achieving. It is evidence of our ability to overcome and make things happen.
- Jermaine E. Martin, Author, American Mindset: Unstuck & Unstoppable