“Being challenged in life is inevitable, being defeated by it is optional.” – Roger Crawford

Life is full of challenges. If nothing in life is ever challenging for you, be concerned. Be concerned that you are either not really participating in life or that you are not really acknowledging the challenges that come your way.

You are going to face personal and professional challenges.

·You will lose people you love

·You will lose a job

·You will be turned down for a promotion

·You will have arguments with friends and co-workers

·You or someone you love will face health issues

Do not confuse a challenge with defeat. When life hands you something difficult to deal with, it is not defeat. If you let the challenge stop you from moving forward that is defeat. If you accept the challenge and adapt your plans your mindset and the way in which you live your life – that is success. And that calls for a celebration! Life is all about how we choose to respond to the challenges that come our way. It’s easy to feel defeated when things don’t go as planned or when we face insurmountable obstacles. But the reality is that defeat is a choice.

 Life is full of celebrations too! Many of these celebrations are possible because of the way in which you face the challenges. You celebrate someone you lost by remembering why you loved them, you celebrate a job loss by embracing the adventure of what comes next, and you celebrate the loss of a promotion by moving on toward a new goal. You see the point. Every challenge brings about the potential for celebration.  You make it to the celebration when you choose not to accept defeat.

When we face challenges, we have a decision to make. We can either let them stop us in our tracks, or we can choose to see them as opportunities for growth and progress. It’s all about our mindset and how we choose to approach the situation.