A part of life that everyone must face in growing up and beyond is learning to face reality…no matter how frightening it may be. Life has its good and bad -- its happy and sad, but from time to time issues creep up that seem too menacing to even set eyes upon.

The Fog of War
In good times, even some of life’s more difficult challenges can be quite manageable, but in hard times when our capacities for dealing with them are strained, reality can appear so dire that our ability to deal with problems is impaired. It is the fog of war.

Feelings of Helplessness
Challenges continue to come, whether in good times or bad, and we have to be able to overcome them. In difficult times when the stresses of the world seem too much we have to open our eyes and be as menacing as the reality that faces us. There comes a time when all of us feel like we have been pushed down again and again to the point when we cannot be pushed any lower. This is when feelings of helplessness creep in, but it is also the time when we need to take a stand against them.

Avoiding Reality
Reality can be a scary thing at times, but when it has pushed you into a corner it is time to take a stand. When your ability to deal with challenges has been overwhelmed by the enormity of your problems, it is time to take a short break from everything. Give yourself a moment to feel what it is like to be free of the worries that have been troubling you for so long. Allow your mind to know what it is like to have peace. Yes this is avoiding reality, but for one very good reason…it will give you the motivation to stand up to your challenges.

Start with the Little Things
There is no reason that anyone should have to feel constantly bombarded by overwhelming concerns. After a short moment of healing reflection that allows you to know what it feels like to be free of your worries, turn around and look your troubles in the eyes, and turn their threatening energy back upon them. Although you may have felt incapacitated by your challenges, you must stand up to them to conquer them. Take them on one at a time not all at once. Start with the little things that can confidently be done. Build your strength and energy with determination to overcome your challenges, and allow the stress to dissipate. With fewer challenges there are fewer worries.

Look Reality in the Eyes
Corner your big challenges, and face them with renewed vigor. Reality can be intimidating at times, but it will never improve by turning away from it. When reality gets ugly, look it in the eyes and deal with it, and you will find that in time it is not always so ugly – and sometimes it can be quite lovely to look at.

The Realities We Deserve
Everyone has times when the reality of life seems too frightening to deal with. There are times when troubles stack up by the dozens, but as we continue to mature throughout the entirety of our lives we must learn to look into the eyes of the monsters we face and to show them that they are no match for the goodness of the realities that we deserve. Although at times we may find it easier to turn away from the monsters that life throws at us, we must all eventually face them and conquer them to live the realities we deserve.

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