If you're anything like me, life doesn't just hand you lemons... it throws them at you... 90 mph like a fast ball in the middle of a baseball game and you have no bat or helmet. All you can really do is run for cover and pray that it ends soon. You don't even have time to whip up some of that lemonade everyone is always telling you to make. And in reality, you're sick of the lemons life keeps flinging at you and you're tired of the lemonade you're apparently supposed to be making out of all these "lemons," aka crappy situations. So, here's to you fellow reluctant lemonade makers, I feel your pain and we've all been there.
Life has a (not so) funny way of kicking you while you're down. You know when you feel like you've hit rock bottom and you're positive that it can't get any worse? And then it actually gets worse? Well, unfortunately that's how the cookie crumbles. Things have to get worse before they can get any better in some cases. Sometimes life throws us a curveball. Then, other times it throws us a million and we feel like we can't seem to catch a break. Whether that be your car breaking down, a lower grade than you wanted after a long night of studying or a bad break up, we have to remember that there is in fact always a silver lining. We may not be able to see it or even remotely fathom the idea of clearer skies, but I can promise you that things will get better. I'm sure you're probably asking "how do you know it will get better?" as you sit in your pile of lemons... and my answer would be, perseverance.
Life was never promised to be easy, but it was promised to be worth it.
The worst thing you can do during a rough patch is give up. Don't throw whatever it is you've worked so hard for, up to this point, down the drain just because times are getting a little (or a lot) tough. I'm not saying you can't be upset or sad because you totally can and all situations along with people are vastly different. Take your time to rest or grieve or rebuild, and then get back on track. It's alright to get knocked down. Life has a tendency to do that to us, and sometimes those curve-balls come in pretty fast. We don't have control over what "lemons" are thrown at us most of the time, but we do have control over how we handle it. It's so important to remember that it's OK to fall down, but it's never OK to stay there. We have to stand up taller and stronger than we were before and allow our wounds to heal. You probably feel like it's an impossible task before you, but remember that you're capable of doing amazing things if you believe in yourself.
What you give power to, has power over you.
Life's short, so squeeze all you can out of it. Don't let it make you bitter. Don't let all the bad situations make you cold, because they will happen and you will fall down. Don't let it make you unkind. Choose kindness. It's OK to show your emotions and be sad, but it's never OK to treat others poorly because you've been done wrong in some fashion. We're all human and we break. Mistakes happen often, but don't let that pain and sadness control your life. Wake up and take on each day by doing what's right for yourself. It's going to be OK. This is not the end and it is not your undoing. Breathe. Take whatever "lemons" or rough times life throws at you and learn from them.
Become a better person through your hardships and make the best lemonade this world has ever witnessed because the sun will rise and set regardless. What we choose to do with the light while it's here is up to us. Live wisely and sip your lemonade graciously.
