Voltaic
Plaidhiker@youtube
was it Niche who said that, or Kelly Clarkson? Despite who said it first, I think the saying may go back much further than the person who put their name to it. Most likely, the saying has been around for a long while, and for good reason.
It makes me think. Despite the popularity of the saying, by quite a few, it is easily dismissed, and rightfully so. A car crash may not kill, but paralyze. One may live through a traumatic experience to live and tell the tail, but carry scars from the event for the rest of their life, and I do think it is accurate in many cases that what didn't kill you also doesn't make you stronger.
My mindset going through life was around the idea that the saying was bull. What didn't kill me left me drained damaged and vulnerable for whatever 'character building' event would happen next. It felt like being beaten down every time I got back up from my last stagger downwards. It felt demoralizing to stand only to fall again after again, In what it seems to be a relentless cycle of the world including myself using me as a punching bag.
Though I centered my thoughts around the idea of falling over and over and over, but haven't given much attention to the fact that one has to rise in order to fall. I have taken a hell of a beating, yet time and time after again, I stand up to my next beating, to fall only to rise again.
Through it all, I remain here typing this forum post. My head aches, and my eyes strain over my bright screen dimmed as much as possible, tea cup horrendously empty, but I feel fine. Compared to many times before, how I feel now despite the boredom and all that is still wrong with my life, would be a blessing during other times when I am not so lucky to feel as content. From those turbulent times, I have risen to at least where I am now.
Think at what you may have gone through. I don't know who would be reading this now, nor what they have gone through in life, but I believe everyone has their struggles that have helped define them. Think of how you felt then, compared to how you are now. How far off the cold hard rock bottom have you risen from? How many times have you been knocked off your feet, to find yourself back to feeling at least okay with the current moment? If you made it through all that, what else are you capable of with the strength that has dragged you from those depths to where you are now?
What doesn't kill you may very well hurt all the same. One could argue in times of desperation what doesn't kill you may as well have. To live through all that, now having to face the immensity of all the struggles still yet to come, now with the baggage of what you have gone through to bear up this unending mountain. What didn't kill you, made your life a hell of a lot harder.
Is it really the case that hardships always have to be a bad thing? The baggage makes you heavy, but just as you have done before, getting back on your feet with that added weight serves to make you stronger than without it. Although, one has to be able to find themselves back on their feet holding the weight up.
Are you weak for feeling the weight of that baggage, or strong for holding it up as long as you did?
At the end, I feel if weather the saying 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger' is bull or not, comes up to your mindset on what didn't kill you. Do you look back at yesterday in horror, knowing that being the same person, the past still could be your future? Or do you look back to realize and see how far you have come? Do you look back and see the times that have brought you to your knees, or when you have risen back up from them? Are your hardships only going to hurt you, or can you see the opportunities to grow through the experience? Do you have faith in your strength that has given you what you still have today? Because despite it all, you are still here, and I bet, if you see everything around you, looking at the moment, free from what has been and what could be, you can realize that things are alright.
It makes me think. Despite the popularity of the saying, by quite a few, it is easily dismissed, and rightfully so. A car crash may not kill, but paralyze. One may live through a traumatic experience to live and tell the tail, but carry scars from the event for the rest of their life, and I do think it is accurate in many cases that what didn't kill you also doesn't make you stronger.
My mindset going through life was around the idea that the saying was bull. What didn't kill me left me drained damaged and vulnerable for whatever 'character building' event would happen next. It felt like being beaten down every time I got back up from my last stagger downwards. It felt demoralizing to stand only to fall again after again, In what it seems to be a relentless cycle of the world including myself using me as a punching bag.
Though I centered my thoughts around the idea of falling over and over and over, but haven't given much attention to the fact that one has to rise in order to fall. I have taken a hell of a beating, yet time and time after again, I stand up to my next beating, to fall only to rise again.
Through it all, I remain here typing this forum post. My head aches, and my eyes strain over my bright screen dimmed as much as possible, tea cup horrendously empty, but I feel fine. Compared to many times before, how I feel now despite the boredom and all that is still wrong with my life, would be a blessing during other times when I am not so lucky to feel as content. From those turbulent times, I have risen to at least where I am now.
Think at what you may have gone through. I don't know who would be reading this now, nor what they have gone through in life, but I believe everyone has their struggles that have helped define them. Think of how you felt then, compared to how you are now. How far off the cold hard rock bottom have you risen from? How many times have you been knocked off your feet, to find yourself back to feeling at least okay with the current moment? If you made it through all that, what else are you capable of with the strength that has dragged you from those depths to where you are now?
What doesn't kill you may very well hurt all the same. One could argue in times of desperation what doesn't kill you may as well have. To live through all that, now having to face the immensity of all the struggles still yet to come, now with the baggage of what you have gone through to bear up this unending mountain. What didn't kill you, made your life a hell of a lot harder.
Is it really the case that hardships always have to be a bad thing? The baggage makes you heavy, but just as you have done before, getting back on your feet with that added weight serves to make you stronger than without it. Although, one has to be able to find themselves back on their feet holding the weight up.
Are you weak for feeling the weight of that baggage, or strong for holding it up as long as you did?
At the end, I feel if weather the saying 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger' is bull or not, comes up to your mindset on what didn't kill you. Do you look back at yesterday in horror, knowing that being the same person, the past still could be your future? Or do you look back to realize and see how far you have come? Do you look back and see the times that have brought you to your knees, or when you have risen back up from them? Are your hardships only going to hurt you, or can you see the opportunities to grow through the experience? Do you have faith in your strength that has given you what you still have today? Because despite it all, you are still here, and I bet, if you see everything around you, looking at the moment, free from what has been and what could be, you can realize that things are alright.