Ask Dr. E: Do you have any advice on preparing for the tough days ahead?Dear Dr. E: — ANXIOUS FELLOW CITIZEN FROM UPSTATE NEW YORKSolomon wrote in the third chapter of Ecclesiastes that there will be highs and lows in life. He told us that there is “a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.
Sickness interrupts what we thought would be a time of health. A broken appliance reaches into our savings account, thwarting our vacation plans. A traffic jam causes us to be late for work. Fires, tornadoes, and floods can wipe away all sense of stability at a moment’s notice. Relationships that seemed destined to last a lifetime end prematurely due to distance, lack of time, disagreements, controversy, or simply growing apart.
Those who consistently run away from struggles become snowflakes. Unable to handle any heat, they melt away in selfish indignation and insignificance. Every year, millions of us make New Year’s resolutions. However, according to research by the University of Scranton, 92% of people fail to live up to their resolution, giving up on the new life they envisioned. That means only 8% keep their word and see their project through. As Marcel Schwantes wrote for Inc.com, “The 8 percent have an internal compass that keeps them locked in until they reach the top of the mountain.