How To Grow A Rose In A Garden Of Weeds

How do people grow despite a harsh, negative environment?

It takes a huge amount of courage, determination and moxy.

Not everyone has a pleasant family, friend or job experience but that's actually okay because these people and situations present us with a real opportunity to grow.

I speak from experience, I have had unpleasant family members, friends and co-workers in my life that have tested me to my very limit of patience and sanity but I never let their negative views or comments hold me back....

I just simply tuned them out. The "elevator music" in my head would play the song

"The Girl From Ipanema" every time someone would be negative to me.

It would actually make me smile.

When someone is negative and puts you down, it really has nothing to do with you,

but everything to do with them.

This is called projection, it is someone's own faults that they don't like about themselves and they project their frustrations and fears out onto you.

So really, this has nothing to do with you.

Though I may have been sidetracked for a little while, until I got out of my own way, the most important thing was that I didn't hold myself back from what I wanted to accomplish in this life.

Here's a few things that have helped me along the way...

Forgiveness healing- letting go and moving on.

Forgiveness is for you to move forward.

It's good to let go so the situation doesn't affect you mind, body and spirit.

Set clear boundaries so people know what is allowed and what is not with you.

They won't know if you don't express this in a firm, but loving way.

Expect things to get better, not worse.

When you change your mindset to expect great things in your life

you will attract the same back to you.

Faith, hope and belief work hand-in-hand to help you move forward.

Faith is foreseeing amazing imaginative things happen

Hope is holding onto promising expectations