Helen Keller said, “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.”
It’s a powerful quote by itself. It’s incredibly inspiring when you consider who said it.
Born 100 years before I was, she has always inspired me. Nearly everyone in the United States has heard of Helen Keller. She was born healthy, but an illness left her deaf and blind at age two. Her parents couldn’t educate or, teach her, or really even communicate with her until Anne Sullivan was able to break through her isolation and create a way to communicate with her. Once that barrier had been breached, Helen became determined to overcome her “disabilities.” She went on to learn to talk, graduate college, write, advocate for others and accomplish many other incredible things. All of which she did without the benefit of two of her five senses.
“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” Helen Keller
I can’t really imagine her perspective of the world. I can’t imagine a world without sight or sound. One thing is certain though, she experienced incredible adversity and learned to overcome it. She was resilient. She learned to be positive and persevere, even when faced with obstacles that would have caused some people to give up.
And, in both words and deeds, she said that adversity strengthens us. It helps us develop character, ambition and learn to achieve.
So, regardless of the obstacles you are facing today, remember that they can strengthen you and prepare you for even bigger things. Remember that you only need to climb over them one step at a time. Remember,when you are climbing a large mountain, if you climb it one step at a time, it’s not any more difficult to climb than a small one. It just might take a little longer.
Like many, Resilience and Leadership Expert Ria Story faced adversity in life. Raised on an isolated farm in Alabama, she was sexually abused by her father from age 12 – 19. She was forced to play the role of a wife and even shared with other men due to my father’s perversions. Desperate to escape, she left home at 19 without a job, a car, or even a high school diploma. Unlike many, Ria learned to not only survive but thrive. She now shares her story to inspire hope in others.
