Day 4: Thankful for Challenges that Help Us Grow

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Originally published on November 4, 2019. Updated on November 4, 2022.

Thanks for joining us on Day 4 of the 30 Thankful Days Challenge. Today we’ll give some thought to how challenges help us grow. If you haven’t downloaded the free companion journal, click here.

When you hear the word “challenge,” what comes to mind? This is a broad term that applies to pretty much any endeavor and aspect of life. Every day, we’re challenged in our career, our relationships, our family life, and our ongoing struggle to exist and thrive on this planet.

You could find yourself challenged mentally as you invest extra hours to further your education by taking a class or course.
You might be challenged emotionally when faced with a rough patch in a close relationship such as a marriage or long-term commitment.

Challenges can come in the form of an unexpected change, like the loss of a job or a sudden health concern that needs management by a health professional.

What Does Challenge Mean to You?

When you hear the word challenge, does it fill you with dread? Fear? Or are you someone who sees a challenge as an opportunity to do some soul-searching and growing?

Why should we be thankful for the challenges that we face in life? Well, for one, they teach us a lesson. You might feel challenged by a setback like a financial hardship. But despite the turmoil faced at the time of your struggle, you survived and came out on the other side stronger and wiser.

When we manage to overcome challenges, problems that once seemed insurmountable are suddenly put into a new perspective. If the same thing happens again, you’ll know how to handle things and what to do.

Once you truly overcome a challenge in your life, you aren’t likely to make the same mistakes as you did before. And you can share your newfound wisdom with someone who’s now in the same position.

Day 4 JOURNAL EXERCISE: Giving Thanks, and a Pat on the Back for Overcoming a Challenges

In thinking about challenges, you might turn your thoughts to any recent struggles you may have had.

What happened? What did you do to move past the problem?
How did your perspective change once the struggle was over?
What did you learn?
Did you grow and change as a result of this particular challenge?

Take a look at the new, wiser, and more experienced you who came to be as a result of being brave and taking what life dishes out to you in stride.

Be thankful that life handed you some challenges that were able to shape the person you’ve become.

Free Journal

This is the free Workbook that goes along with the posts that you can download. It’s a perfect time to look at all the things we should be grateful for. Click below for the free accompanying journal.