“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” -Helen Keller
It is our challenges and our hardships that put us to the test. It is these challenges that test our true character. It is these challenges that test our endurance. The test will come.
We may say to ourselves, Okay- Here it is. I am being tested. We may ask ourselves, How do I want to respond? How can I come out of this with my self-respect intact? How can I use this to become a stronger person? How can I grow from this experience?
We must have faith that there is a greater purpose. One that remains to be seen. We must plan our actions carefully so that our true character emerges. This involves being the best person that we can be, regardless of the actions of others. This means doing what we believe is right, no matter how difficult.
What have you learned through the challenges in your life? How have you grown? What doors have opened when others have closed?
“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” – John Wooden
I like the John Wooden quote: so true. Hard to remember on your average day, but true.
Thank you for commenting. I agree. It is hard to remember on your average day, but I like it too.
The choices we make under difficult circumstances define us.
Yes.
This is great, Kristin. Thank you very much for sharing. You are one generous soul. And I hope you don’t mind that I have also shared it in my Facebook Page and Twitter.
Thank you again, many blessings to you. 🙂
Subhan Zein
Subhan, Thank you for the kind words and for sharing my post. Blessings to you.
No, thank you for sharing your post. Many blessings and much love to you, Kristin. 🙂
Subhan Zein
“We may say to ourselves, ‘Okay – Here it is. I am being tested. We may ask ourselves, How do I want to respond? How can I come out of this with my self-respect intact? How can I use this to become a stronger person? How can I grow from this experience?'”
This is so key in developing character–being able to ask these questions when we’re in a pinch, being willing to ask these questions when we’re in a pinch, remembering to ask these questions in a pinch.
To ask those questions when we’re in a bind not only develops character, it requires it; it shows our character, it shows how much character we’ve developed.
Which means, oddly enough, that perhaps there’s more to the story, that perhaps Keller’s words aren’t completely true, especially, “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet.”
What we do in times of quiet and ease *can* and does prepare us for what we show/demonstrate in times of stress, duress, challenge, adversity. The quiet times do matter–perhaps just as much as our moments of stress and suffering. Those moments show us who we are and what we’ve become, what we’ve made of ourselves, in all of our moments of quiet and ease.
In a sense it’s a lot like boxing. The actual boxing match is analogous to the trial, the moment of suffering or adversity that we must face. If we have spent our time before the boxing match working out, focusing on our “fitness,” then we will be better prepared for those 10 or 12 rounds than if we hadn’t worked out, watched our diet, trained, et cetera.
Training is important. What we do in times of quiet and ease is crucial to our character development. Adversity not only creates character, it reveals it–it reveals what we’ve become in our down time–the caliber of the choices we’ve been making. Have we been going for comfort and ease too much? Have we been numbing ourselves and zoning out with too much mindless TV, too many glamour or gossip or sports magazines, too much escapist fiction? Or have we been reading some decent books, going to counseling/therapy, introspecting, writing/journaling, reflecting/contemplating, engaging in meaningful conversations, watching educational TV shows, et cetera, some of the time?
“Great occasions do not make heroes or cowards; they simply unveil them to the eyes of men. Silently and imperceptibly, as we wake or sleep, we grow strong or weak; and at last some crisis shows what we have become.” – Brooke Foss Westcott
We are what we think. We are what we do. One leads to the other, and vice versa.
Very thought-provoking post, Kristin; I appreciate the food for thought 🙂
Kindest regards,
John
Thank you so much, John. You have brought up some excellent points here in your comments.
So true! I loved all of his quotes. I’d never heard of this man until your post. Thanks for sharing.
🙂