INNER TOUGHNESS

OUR CHOICE

It is difficult to accept inner toughness without reasonable self respect. What is “inner toughness”? For me it is willingness and ability to confront what is, to accept the truth that confronts us,and to deal with it.

Most of us attempt to create a mental image of our reality that seems more pleasing than that which seems to impose itself upon us. This is the false life of the lier. It leads to unfortunate, but necessary, results.

To be tough inside is to upon arising in the morning, grit your teeth to face the news of the day, both personal and collective for what it is. It is not always bad, but too often it is. We would not be here if we were not asked to accept the truth of our reality as true and do all we can to improve it.

We are not given circumstances that are beyond our ability to face. In doing so, we discover we are tougher, smarter, more competent than we first thought.

A friend of mine facing death said, “Rip, I can’t do this”. I said, “You are doing it”. In that realization, he stiffened and strengthened and continued his path to die the next night. He discovered inner toughness by confronting the truth.

If we refuse to accept the gift of inner toughness which is offered each of us, we feel overwhelmed by life circumstances.

Inner toughness is not self created. It is a gift to be accepted or rejected. When it is clearly offered it is usually at a time when we feel weak and inadequate. It is an act of…