Pearls are created because of friction. When sand gets in an oyster shell the water can’t wash it away, out of self defence, the oyster builds a smooth coating around it, minimizing the irritance and eventually creating something of value.
Sometimes you can’t get around friction: caring for a loved one, a serious illness to overcome, a society where you don’t fit in. Sometimes you can’t overcome (in the short term, at least) lack of education, or a beater car, or a soul-sucking job, or the roommate from hell.
But you can use it to your advantage.
One of the best tools I’ve ever found for this is SWOT analysis.
Take your weaknesses. Make them into strengths. Take those threats; turn them into opportunities. If you can’t do that, at least neutralize them. But I bet you can.
And someday you’ll tell stories of how you coped with a miserable situation. You see, friction makes pearls, just like pressure makes diamonds.
[ssbp]
