Laughing in the Face of Adversity

For those of us with FA or any other disability, overcoming adversity is part of our daily lives, to the point where we don’t even notice it anymore.

There is a trick to embracing adversity, for turning life’s greatest challenges into some of life’s greatest opportunities, and it doesn’t come easily. It’s not an easy thing to accept adversity as a part of life. But in doing so, it allows one to move more fluidly through life. Not so long ago, I accepted my disability and all the adversity that comes with it. Since I was able to accept the inevitable, adversity has become more of a psychological tool for me than anything else. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?

Once we accept what we cannot change, it becomes easier to choose how we react to adversity. It becomes easier to laugh in the face of adversity. Adversity helps us grow as human beings. It teaches us gratitude, engagement, perspective, and other coping mechanisms. The most important lesson I’ve learned from adversity is how to fail gracefully.

Bill Sanders wrote for HuffPost that, “Adversity is the weight we push against to develop the skills we need to lead.”

Creativity also plays a key role in determining our ability to thrive in tough times. One of the most important aspects of creativity is that it helps us make sense out of seemingly meaningless suffering.

Art born of adversity is a common theme among the world’s most eminent creative minds. Much of the music we listen to, the movies we see, the books we read, and the paintings we look at — among other forms of art — are attempts to find meaning in human suffering.

The adversity we face every day in our lives can be used as inspiration for our creativity. I love to write. It allows me to express my creativity and get my point across to a wide audience using different platforms. My creativity feeds off my adversity.

I met people in life who chose to let their adversity beat them; it made me even more determined not to let my adversity beat me. It is clear to me that how we deal with adversity is a choice, and it is one that defines who we are and what we will become.

I know this condition will eventually beat me physically. I know I’m fighting a losing battle with my body every day. However, that doesn’t mean I’m going to let it beat me mentally. I have chosen to live my life unshackled by adversity, and because of that, I spend most of my time laughing and enjoying life. Being able to laugh in the face of adversity is my greatest triumph.

***

Friedreich’s Ataxia News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.