This past year has tested me in ways I never anticipated. I went through a separation from my wife of 15 years and am now navigating a divorce. I've mourned the loss of three grandparents and two dogs, changed jobs twice due to company closures, poured over $10,000 into a car that just kept breaking down, and suffered a significant mountain biking accident—resulting in a broken sternum, two ribs, and three vertebrae, which led to spinal fusion surgery. It's been a time of tough breaks, back-to-back challenges, and relentless hurdles. I don't share this for pity but to emphasize that we all face our own struggles, and sometimes life's adversities seem unending.

Through it all, one lesson has surfaced for me repeatedly. I believe it's something that you might need to learn as well.

There's a children's book We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Helen Oxenbury and Michael Rosen. In it a father and his children set out to "catch a bear." Along their journey, they face one obstacle after another, each met with the same response: "We can't go over it. We can't go under it. Oh no, we've got to go through it!" And so they press on, no matter the obstacle.

There's a profound truth in this simple, silly story. Adversity is inevitable, and the only way out is through. We can try to ignore it, pretend it's not so bad, or even stop moving altogether, but none of those paths get us to our goals and where we want to be. The only way to overcome our challenges is to face them head-on, moving directly and boldly through whatever stands in our way.

It's so tempting, in the moment, to say, "If I avoid this, it might hurt less," or "Surely there's an easier way around." But the truth is that delaying the hard stuff only makes the journey longer and more painful. Whether it's a tough conversation you need to have, a career change you're dreading, or even some piece of work you're hesitating to submit, the longer you wait, the harder it becomes. The best progress comes when we confront our obstacles head-on and without delay.

This book also does not have the typical fairy tale ending that many kids' books have. In the end, they finally find the bear—but instead of catching it, they end up being chased, forced to backtrack through every obstacle they just endured. Isn't that just like life? Just when you think you're past a challenge, life throws a curveball, and suddenly, you're trudging back through what you thought was behind you.

The father and his children end up right back where they started. And it's easy to wonder, "Why go on the bear hunt at all? Why put ourselves through that if it just circles back?" But here's the thing: without the bear hunt, there's no story, no journey, no growth. We might avoid some mud if we stayed home, but we'd miss the whole adventure. And that's the point, isn't it?

Whether or not we hit our goals precisely as we envision, the journey—the struggle—is what shapes us. Pushing through difficulties builds resilience, character, and strength. There is a line in a song I love and it goes like this "100 bad days made 100 good stories."

It is those stories, those defining moments that our life is lived. Obstacles are rarely "fun" or "enjoyable." But "good" and "meaningful" aren't synonyms for easy. A meaningful life often means facing tough challenges, enduring discomfort, and enduring through adversity. Great stories require struggle, determination, and grit. They remind us that we're capable of more than we ever imagined.

But here's something else I've learned: you don't have to take the journey alone. Find someone to walk with you, whether it's a friend, counselor, spouse, or mentor. None of us were meant to write our story alone. So, as you go on your "bear hunt," writing your incredible story, bring someone along to help you face what lies ahead and go boldly.