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I have come to learn the power of belief in self.

I didn’t realize the significance or the true power of this until I was forced to face extreme stress stemming from my husband’s chronic illness. The message that I have only recently really heard is “belief becomes reality.”

It is absolutely true that your belief in something will come to be, if you have a definite, genuine conviction of it and the dedication to work toward it. Wishing something to occur is very different from an inner core knowledge that something will absolutely happen, acting as if it is inevitable, and putting yourself out there, laboring to make it reality.

During the midst of chaos and sadness, I have witnessed first-hand the power of true belief.

It can help you overcome the most impossible of challenges. True belief in your abilities and any subsequent hard work needed can alter your path in a purposeful way, in the direction you desire. Instead of stressing about the negatives of a situation, purposefully focus on the good of the situation, reframing your thoughts for calm and success, and you can accomplish seemingly unattainable outcomes.

As an additional bonus, it turns out that with such perseverance and determination, unexpected gifts appear on your path. Friends show extra care and kindness, strangers surprise you in nice ways, and a new view on life is realized.

Maintain your core belief. Stay true to it, regardless of what other naysayers may say. Know that you can overcome the adversity-hand you have been dealt and know there is power in purposeful positiveness.

By focusing on the gems buried in the dirt of the situation, you can decide to move down the road of your own choosing.

Rather than relying on people to tell you X, Y, and Z about what you should do or what is going to happen over time, know that you have more power. These people just have a small snapshot of the complete story. You have all the information since you have been there from the start of the whole ordeal. You, therefore, have the power to consider where to go and then to steer things in that direction.

If you believe, truly believe to your core, that you can do this, you can. You absolutely can. Don’t be a doubter; be a doer. Don’t let adversity control you; use it to focus your beliefs and use it to accomplish something positive. I dare you.

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Dr. Erica Kosal is an author, blogger, widow, mother and biology professor.

She is the blogger of Traveling Troubled Times, where she writes about her experiences with raising two small children and living life alone without her recently-deceased husband.  Her recent book When Miracles Aren't Enough: The Lessons Tragedy Taught Me is being well-received.  The book was illustrated by Erica's 7-year old daughter and contains contributions from her 9-year old son.  Together these three paint a beautiful picture of how good can come from tragedy.  Erica's first book Miracles for Daddy: A Family’s Inspirational Fight against A Modern Medical Goliath uses her husband Jim's illness as the backdrop for how to handle adversity by calling on the power of the human spirit.  Erica’s website, Bounce to Resilience, is designed to help people experiencing extreme stress and adversity.

In addition to speaking to audiences, she advocates for Lyme disease through interviews on radio shows and national television.  Erica has been on Fox and Friends, ABC news, and Emotional MoJo speaking about her experiences.  She also writes regularly for various national venues.

Her books are available at bouncetoresilience.com  or at amazon.com.

For more information, please visit bouncetoresilience.com

This Post Has 12 Comments

  1. Thank you Erica. That’s awesome way of belief. I changed my thinking about myself, and getting to the core of what I believed about myself, and started to believe in myself, and life I wanted to have. Now I believe in my ability and what I, or who I want in my life. I’m setting goals ,5-10,and retirement. There healthy and attainable, goals.
    I hope you have a amazing weekend.
    Lots of Love

  2. I have not read this book yet, but you remind me of this book
    SUPERSURVIVORS: The Surprising Link Between Suffering and Success

  3. Thanks for this inspiration, Erica! I agree that you can’t just sit back and hope things will change. We must take actions that move us in the direction we want to go. You are a great writer with an important message.

  4. You have been a true Inspiration to me, thru Jim’s sickness and his death! There were many times, I found comfort in something you wrote on Carinbridge and since then in one of your blogs or on Miracles for Daddy site. My brother chose well and I am truly blessed to have you as a sister-in-law!

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