In the 1998 Disney movie, Mulan, the Emperor of China describes Mulan as a flower that blooms in adversity, making her the most rare and beautiful of all.
For some background, Mulan went to war in her father’s place to protect him from potential harm. She ends up becoming the hero of her country. When offered to work at the palace for the emperor, she turns him down because she wants to go home to her family. The emporer then says to the general who fought beside Mulan that, “the flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.” He encourages the general to tell Mulan how he feels about her.
You see, anyone can prosper and bloom during easy times. It is only during our struggles and adversity our will to keep going is tested. And when we rise up and face our challenges, we bloom more beautifully because of all that we have gone through to get where we are.
Remember, it is in those moments when we are ready to give up that the magic happens. The tide turns, and who knows what it can bring to us.
I know a popular YouTuber who was really down on her luck when she first started making videos. She was struggling financially as a single mother of four and had a lot going on in her personal life. When she lost her job, she was devastated. And scared.
With more time on her hands, she decided to start making videos about being a mom and posting them on YouTube. Over time, she built an audience and supportive community of like-minded people. She never expected her channel to grow like it did or to be able to make decent money making these videos.
She was able to bloom beautifully during her darkest times. Faced with the fears of how she was going to provide for her kids, she decided to press the record button and start talking about it. She thought that she might be able to help other people in similar situations, and she did. Don’t be discouraged by adversity. See it as an opportunity to become something greater than you are today.
