The Power of Adversity (From a Kid’s Perspective)

“Nothing is going right.”

“This is so hard.”

“I don’t think this is going to work.”

You've probably said at least one of these things at some point in time, maybe in a difficult period of your life with lots of conflict (like when you started your business). Maybe you even say these things on a daily basis.

I'm just a teenager, and I know I've said these things. Sometimes it happens when working out a difficult math or language arts assignment that I believed too difficult to complete.

At the same time, I often discover that the assignments that are difficult and time-consuming feel the best to finally complete. When it is finally over with, I can say that I have put time into my work and I am proud of it. Adversity can make us feel ten times more accomplished or even help us grow as human beings.

What is adversity?

From Merriam-Webster's dictionary, adversity literally means, “a state or instance of serious or continued difficulty or misfortune.” Therefore, adversity can take on many different meanings or describe various situations, such as the death of a loved one, financial difficulties, or a difficult and time-consuming class.

At the same time, adversity is necessary in order to thrive. Adversity can help us grow beyond our previous boundaries to new heights, accomplishing things never done before. I know my parents have had their share of adversity and difficulties while building their business from scratch.

Adversity in Business

To start with, establishing a business name is extremely burdensome and demanding. It takes loads of time, dedication, and countless tough decisions. My parents faced adversity in the first stages of the business when simply picking a business name. Even now they face it after years of non-stop effort and dedication. 

Still, I would still deem them “successful” despite the fact they face hardships on a day to day basis. Facing regular adversity does not mean someone is weak or fragile, it means they are strong and resilient for surviving. It means they have overcome a challenge and grown into a better person with more experiences. Thus, adversity is necessary and crucial to thrive and improve upon yourself.

The Benefits of Facing and Conquering Adversity

Today, after years of pushing their business, gaining employees, and growing as a business, my parents' hardships have not slowed. They face a multitude of issues every day that they have to fix. I will admit, they handle it better than anyone I know. As their youngest daughter, I can see that they try to keep a smile on their face until they figure out the solution. Then, and only until then, they push relentlessly to discover what needs to be done to solve the problem. Maybe this is how they’ve gotten so far. They do not wait. They do not let the problems pile up. They do not procrastinate. Instead, they tackle the problem head on, all while keeping a house full of children afloat. 

After days filled with proactive problem solving to make their business the best version of itself, they come home to four children: three in high school and one in college. As you can imagine, four children means a lot of issues/needs. Maybe one has a school project or two kids have soccer practice at the same time in different places. Whatever the issue, it likely amounts to another stressor after a demanding day at work. Nevertheless, they handle the adversity gracefully; they devise a plan and do their best to stick to it until everything gets done. 

As for me, school, soccer, family, and my social life have taken over my world (although during the pandemic, some of these things have slowed down). School from 6:30 AM to 3 PM, then home from 3:15 to 4:30 to grab all the supplies needed for the evening, then soccer (sometimes a three hour adventure with driving factored in), and lastly I shower, eat, and sleep, only to get up and do it all over again the next day. 

No matter what you do, you'll face adversity. Just remember, it makes you stronger and gives you experiences you can use as a weapon later in life. These experiences make you you! Do not avoid them. Rather, take them head-on and fight to the best of your ability. Defeat your demons, overcome them, and come out the other side with experiences and strength under your belt.