What would you do if you knew that adversity was a gift? Chances are, you might worry less, dare a bit more, or perhaps more importantly, just have complete faith in yourself. As life would have it, we’re wired to be alert and anticipate danger, which certainly comes in handy; but far too many of us let it dictate our actions.
One of the most important principles that I learned from a dear friend, is the tenet of Inverse Paranoid. It’s the belief that while you can’t always change the things that happen to you in life, you can always change the way you view them. Think of a paranoid as someone who believes that everyone is conspiring against him or her, while an Inverse Paranoid is the person who’s convinced that the world is actually conspiring to make her more successful and happy. That slight shift in perspective can be life altering because life is not without challenge, and if you can learn to reframe a negative situation; no matter how bad things may appear, you’ll always feel in control.
In his brilliantly crafted book, The Gift of Adversity, Dr. Norman Rosenthal opens himself up to share personal experiences that demonstrate ‘The Unexpected Benefits of Life’s Difficulties, Setbacks, and Imperfections’ – Here’s a glimpse.