“Someone said adversity builds character, but someone else said adversity reveals character. I’m pleasantly surprised with my resilience. I persevere, and not just blindly. I take the best, get rid of the rest, and move on, realizing that you can make a choice to take the good.” Brooke Shields

I “grew up” with Brook Shields and maybe you did, too. I haven’t followed her career, per se, but I remember when she opened up about her struggle with postpartum depression. I remember thinking how incredibly brave she was to share what she went through—especially during a time when discussing mental health was far more stigmatized. By going public with her ordeal that she described as “frightening,” she will never know how many women she helped, and it couldn’t have been easy to publicly share her truth.

Shields has absolutely faced adversity, and this hasn’t been her only challenge—so does it build character or reveal it? I believe the answer may be both! What I believe is our important takeaway today is this: Life can be inescapably hard, and while we are in the thick of things, we might not be able to see all of the personal growth that is happening. When we are on the other side of hard we can look back and see how we overcame adversity with our character and our resilience and our perseverance. Yay us!

If you are feeling as though the road is challenging right now, reread Shield’s quote. Look at your character, resilience and perseverance. Pull out the best of what you’re learning through this challenge. You will be coming out on the other side a different person—stronger, wiser, and more empathetic. This is the life lesson you didn’t sign up for, yet it was given to you anyway. You are stronger than you know!

Let’s Go! WE GOT THIS!

Beth