Have you ever found yourself comparing your life to someone else’s: a friend, a co-worker, a celebrity? We tell ourselves it makes sense to compare. It gives us a scale to measure, and our brains love measurement.

Here’s the problem- measurement gives us the false illusion of where we fit in, and it also validates and perpetuates our discomfort. The thing about trauma, pain, and hardship, is that it's relative. Comparison, might serve us in the short term, but in the long run, it makes things harder.

Another way to move through hardship, and extract strength and power is to go within and access the inner wisdom we all have flowing through us. That's what I'm going to show you how to do if you keep reading.

Most people let their pain break them down, they look for reasons they deserve to be punished, they live on edge- just waiting for the next “thing” to happen, or they scan back to their childhood and blame others for their current results.

Hardship invites us to go to dark places; places that are hard to find your courage in.

But courage is always there, RISE is always possible.

Some people rise from the kindness of others, or from resources like books and podcasts that shine light on their pain. They think these external resources have made things better, but like Dorothy and the ruby slippers their power was always within.

Their power was in their thoughts. As they receive help they are thinking things like:

“I am loved.”
“People care.”
“Things will be easier now.”

I’m here to tell you:

You are loved.
People do care.
And it’s time for things to be easier.

I can be your people.
I can be your resource.

Life happens, but you get to believe whatever you want about it. When you choose to believe in your own power, and surround yourself with people who care, you move far beyond your hardship and feel the reward of continued growth.

Now is your time to bloom.