July 8, 2026- The obstacles that shape us

These are the days that must happen to you.

~Walt Whitman

Life isn’t always easy. Building the best version of us can be a painful experience. Without the work, without the struggle, we can’t create the product we’re looking for.

People tend to look at photos of perfect physiques and think about how lucky they are. They were fortunate enough to win a genetic lottery that allowed them to look like that. Does everyone stop to consider the work that went into that body? Do we just take for granted that they can live an average lifestyle and look the way they do? Chances are, that look requires countless hours of exercise and strict adherence to a diet plan, but all we see are the results.

Whatever we are shaping ourselves into – whether it’s our bodies, our minds, or our souls – is going to require some work and some struggle. These are necessary experiences on the path to what we want. If today is a struggle, we must consider it a necessary step. If, on our way, we encounter obstacles, we must be willing to go over, around, or through them to reach our desired destination.

It is the journey that forms us. It is the obstacles that shape us. Lean into the struggle; there is a better version of us on the other side of them.