What if the ocean feared low tide?

Photo by Jehu Christan on Unsplash

Adversity, clashes, conflict, challenges, sadness, anger, grief...what do all of these things have in common?

In most cases, we see these things as negative. We avoid them, we feel disempowered in the face of them, we get anxiety around them, or we do whatever we can to immediately fix them.

Adversity is to human life as low tide is to the ocean. It is what grows us, nourishes us, helps us grow wiser, and teaches us who we are.

Low tides are responsible for surpluses in fishing, flourishing of crustacean life, removal of pollution, and regulation of the weather. And sometimes, it smells awful.

Avoiding our human low tides out of fear, or fixing them before gleaning the value from it, can be destructive to our inner nature.

So next time you're facing something difficult, think of the ocean. Think of the value of low tide, as it pertains to sea life, to the planet, to the sun and the moon, and to the essential cycles of the natural world.

We are a part of that.

Learning to be empowered in the face of adversity is what makes life worth living for. It's one of the main things I work on with my clients, so that in the natural ebbs and flows of life, creativity and sense of self is never sacrificed.