I was enjoying some scrumptious mussels this weekend and unexpectedly encountered a tiny particle of sand…ALL STOP!!

Instead of savoring the flavors, I was suddenly hyper-focused on the crunch. All from one minuscule piece of the environment the mussels live in!

It got me thinking about the resilience of a mollusk relative…the oyster…and what we can learn from their treasures…pearls!

Did you know an oyster takes an irritant and over time turns it into a beautiful pearl. The oyster coats the nucleus (irritant) with thousands of layers of nacre, and over time, a pearl begins to slowly form.

What if we treated life’s obstacles like the oyster? Just an irritant and coated it (in our case the obstacle) by acknowledging it and asked what tools (nacre) we have to address it?!”

Instead of treating an obstacle as the end of the world, quitting, avoiding…and then reacting based on a past limiting belief that get triggered and negative thoughts our inner critic is repeating subconsciously (that we assume to be true)…we curiously and nonjudgmentally acknowledge the challenge?

What if we leaned into it and faced it with curious excitement and said, “Let’s Dance!” or “Bring It On!”

The definition of grit is strength of character or perseverance towards long-term goals. Start by taking a moment to visualize the situation as our own pearl being made. It takes the charge out of the fear or anxiety we have towards the obstacle.

It also helps us to pause, reframe, and shift perspectives by asking three questions on how to navigate an obstacle/challenge:

1) What is going well (or went well)?
2) What could I be doing (or have done) better?
3) What is one small thing I can do differently, now, moving forward? Then do it.

This empowers us to approach a challenge or obstacle as an opportunity to learn and grow. It also helps us keep a more balanced perspective so we can still see the positive and abundance in our lives.

The reality is there will always be obstacles/challenges in our life. It is how we respond (vs react) that makes the difference.

Think about amazing or key events in your life. In order to experience them, you likely had some challenges to face. By doing so, it made the outcome more memorable and/or enjoyable.

If you want to make yourself more resilient and confident, then step out of your comfort zone and lean into the challenges/obstacles. Treat them like just a tiny irritant and ask yourself what tools are available and what you could do. It is empowering and helps put the obstacles in perspective.

It also enables us to keep taking tiny steps forward towards our intentions and stay focused on the process.

What obstacles/challenges are you facing? Ready to create your pearls and say, “No Grit…No Pearl! Bring it on?!”