From Adversity to Inspiration!

Are you a star? I think you are!

Here's a shiny-new piece of writing by moi (Seth) that I think you'll love.

I've been reminded of a simple truth: it is HARD to write concisely, much harder than writing lots.

In many ways it seems to me that good writing is more about judicious editing than it is about putting words down.

"If I had more time I would have written you a shorter letter" was credited to Winston Churchill - I very much agree!

We live in choice-rich-times so I've given you the option to read my words or listen.

You're time is valuable so you'll be pleased to know that the audio is less than 3 mins 30 secs (lush voice - 'a warm-bath for your ears'!) & reading below will take you even less time.

You're welcome!

These words are the script that will soon come alive as a stunning animation - with your support, the first of many, to delight & inspire us all!

Again, you're welcome!

I joyfully give all my work to you for free. All I ask in return is that you tell your friends, family, colleagues & that bloke up the road, about buddibench.org (including my YouTube channel) & virtuallyseth.ai

Right now (yes you!) forward this email to 3 people you care about & savour the warm-glow you will experience as a result...

Merci Beaucoup buddies!

Here's the text:

From Adversity to Inspiration

Do you ever struggle to live well? I do too. Life’s adversities are inescapable - as Shakespeare’s Hamlet put it, we all face “the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.” Similarly, the Buddhists teach that “life is suffering” unless met with skilful guidance.

Paradoxically, accepting these truths can make us more content. We don’t have to like what we can’t control - only focus on what we can. It’s tempting to compare ourselves to others (compare and despair), but even the most outwardly successful people carry pain and shame. It's a cognitive distortion to compare others’ outsides with our insides. Many of us hide our vulnerabilities, denying what Carl Jung called the “shadow side” - the subconscious parts of ourselves we reject and often project onto others.

Unhappy childhoods are a common lament. As Philip Larkin wrote:

"They fu%k you up, your mum and dad.
They may not mean to, but they do...
... But they were fu%ked up in their turn..."

Parents, often struggling with their own wounds, pass on unresolved trauma. Pain that is not transcended is often transmitted. Hurt people hurt people.

For years, I resented my challenges - a suicidal father, trauma, addiction, and bipolar disorder. I sometimes pitied myself until a friend suggested that I, “turn shite into manure.” At first, I bristled, but she explained: pain is inevitable; misery is optional. I may not be responsible for my distress, but I am responsible for my healing and recovery. We can transform adversity into inspiration and beauty.

Therapy embraces this idea. It tells us: go to your wounds; therein lies your genius. Psychological pain signals the need for attention, just like physical pain. We instinctively recoil from a hot flame to avoid burning ourselves - our emotional distress serves a similar purpose. The pain is not the problem, it points to the solution. It invites us to uncover, discover, and discard what no longer serves us. By confronting our struggles, we grow into our true selves, gaining depth and grace.

Life is like driving a car. Focus on the road ahead (stay in the now), check the rear-view mirror (look back but don’t stare), and mind our blind spots (acknowledge the limits of our perception). If we dwell too much on the past (ruminate on old injuries and resentments), obsess about the future ("future-tripping"), or fixate on the unknowable and uncontrollable (lose focus on our own sphere of influence), we risk crashing. Balance is key. As Kierkegaard reminds us:

"Life can only be understood backwards but must be lived forwards."

Let’s not suppress or resent our pain. Instead, let’s seek to understand it with compassion and let it guide us toward becoming our authentic selves. As Nietzsche said:

"One must still have chaos in oneself to give birth to a dancing star."

We are all made of stardust - let’s sparkle like the celestial beings we are!