The Gift of our Opposition - Sick and Tired of being Sick and Tired

Tannie Bennett and I have been team-teaching for years and one of our most amazing discoveries over the past few years is the Gift of The Opposition. I sat down to write a blog article for our website and I couldn't think of anything to say because of this darn cold that's zapping all my energy. I cough and cough and it wears me out. Then I got to thinking about my experience in poor health versus good health. What is the gift of getting a cold or the flu or perhaps a serious illness? The first thing that came to mind was my appreciation for good health. Another awareness was my intention to take better care of myself and not get so worn down. Self-Care has definitely found its way up my priority list!

So many of us right now are getting hit with great opposition. More and more couples are getting separated and filing for divorce. Autoimmune Disease is an epidemic nowadays. Financial worries and stress are contributing to a slew of mental, emotional and physical disorders. So I ask myself, "What is the GIFT of all this opposition?"

I rather imagine all of you out there that are reading this blog have probably heard the expression: "I am sick and tired of being sick and tired!" and "If you don't do anything different how can you expect to GET different results?" So ... what does this have to do with The Gift of The Opposition?

My "Ah-ha" moment was when I figured out exactly what I didn't want to do or experience anymore, which lead to making different choices and doing things a little differently. 

Example - Every evening, after a long day at work, I would come home, turn on the TV, veg-out while I sat in my recliner and I would stay there till I fell asleep, wake up about 2 or 3 o'clock then finally go to bed only to get up and do the same thing every day, every day, every day.

I finally got sick and tired of being stuck in this rut, and I pulled myself up by the bootstraps and started doing something different. I was not going to grow old and fat sitting in this recliner each night when I could be reading, writing, or serving a family member or friend, and I decided right then and there that I was going to go to bed by 10:00 and get up early enough to exercise, ponder and pray, and plan out my day. What did I want a Perfect Day for Debra to be like. I would begin to imagine it, and get into the feeling place of already experiencing it and lo and behold ... I would have the kind of day I had taken time to imagine that morning or the night before. I got healthier and stronger, felt and looked younger and really began to enjoy my life. 

So, what is the Gift of The Opposition? It's the knowledge we gain from the experience that gives us the desire to do something different and better. It's the wisdom we gain from the experience that allows us to retain our happy heart. After all, "Man is that he might have joy" and joy comes in the overcoming. There are those of us who have had multiple marriages only to finally discover what they do and don't want in order to become the type of person that they want to attract into their lives. There are those who have been ill a significant portion of their lives and  are very compassionate and patient with their fellowman. There are those who keep struggling with their finances till they figure out what is NOT working and do something different. They gain the gift of perseverance that serves them well the rest of their life! The key is ATTITUDE, the attitude of gratitude. 

There is a scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants 78:19 "And he who receives all things with Thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea more." 

I can bear testimony of the truthfulness of that scripture. The very opposition that you are experiencing right now is the very tool needed to strengthen your character, your skills and your soul! You will become all you were meant to be by remembering that the Gift of Your Opposition is the very thing that will move you to action and into your joy/bliss!

How do you do this? Ask yourself, "What is the exact opposite of what I am feeling or experiencing right now? Pray and imagine that that is exactly where you are NOW! Your BEING there now can lift you out of your negative feeling place and move you into a better feeling place so you can have an inspired action step to take you to your place of joy! So I guess what I am trying to say is this ..."The magic is in the BEING and not the DOING!

My next blog will reveal the Magic of BEING and not DOING. 

Listen to more stories about the gift of opposition on our audiobook Making Your Visions Come Alive. We know you'll love it! 

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