No Pain, No Gain: 5 Lessons From The Worst Year Of My Life

My pain over the next year was indescribable. That said, it helped me gain the perspective that can only come from a crisis. Here are five things I learned from the trenches:

People love to root for the underdog, but most don't like to be on the front lines while the underdog is grabbling to get back on top. If you, too, are going through a hard time, look for people who will want to join you for the ride. Together, you will learn so much through suffering and find strength in new places. It's a beautiful process that brings you closer to your true self and a higher power. I encourage you and your loved ones to dig deep and find the beauty in what you are experiencing.

We all know this and yet we worry anyway. Stop! Life is short. Catch yourself when you start to worry about what will happen "one day" and instead focus on the joy of the hour, the minute, the day. When worry rears its ugly head, repeat a positive affirmation, mantra, or quote that resonates until that worry goes away. If you have to repeat that affirmation 20 times a day, do what you need to do to not give in to worry.

I believe that people are chosen to go through certain experiences for a reason. There is a reason you have been chosen to go through the trial that you are facing. There is something that you and you alone can give back to others on the other side of it.

We are all stronger than we think, and we can persevere through any hardship.

Be who you truly are and feel what you feel. The key is to be authentic and that's good enough. The people who love you won't mind and the people who do don't matter. Surround yourself with people who are going to lift you up and love you as you are today. Being true to yourself even through a trying time is so incredibly empowering.