Being Grateful for Obstacles

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve run straight into obstacles on the path I wanted to follow. Every time I’ve tried to change something in my life, there’s been resistance. And yet — again and again — I’ve learned to adjust, rethink, and keep moving forward.

Obstacles aren’t there to stop us. They’re there to shape us. They remind us that growth rarely happens in comfort — it happens in the stretch.

So if you’re facing a roadblock right now, here are three ideas to hold onto.

1️⃣ Fear is information — not a stop sign.

You don’t have to conquer fear in one giant leap. Start small. Try something that nudges you outside your comfort zone: join the choir, speak up in a meeting, taste the food you’ve always avoided. Each small win builds courage, and suddenly the “big” thing feels a lot less intimidating.

2️⃣ Your originality is your strength.

It’s exhausting trying to be one person at work and another everywhere else. Obstacles often appear when we’re out of alignment. When you give yourself permission to show up as you — fully, honestly — you unlock energy, creativity, and confidence you didn’t know you had.

3️⃣ Resilience is built through repetition.

Think about learning to walk. We fall hundreds of times — and never once decide, “Walking just isn’t for me.” As adults, we forget that failing, adjusting, and trying again is normal. Each attempt teaches us something. Each restart builds muscle.

Obstacles won’t disappear. But we can learn to be grateful for them — because they refine us, toughen us, and remind us we’re capable of far more than we think.

And when we keep going — gently, patiently, courageously — that’s where transformation happens.