In this short video, Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski, a psychiatrist and author focused self-improvement and ethical behavior, beautifully explains how times of stress are actually signals for growth.
Transcript:
The lobster is a soft, mushy animal that lives inside of a rigid shell. That rigid shell does not expand.
Well, how can the lobster grow?
Well, as the lobster grows, that shell becomes very confining. And the lobster feels itself under pressure and uncomfortable, and it goes under a rock formation to protect itself from predatory fish cast off the shell, and produces a new one.
Well, eventually that shell becomes very uncomfortable as it grows. Back under the rocks. And the lobster repeats this numerous times. The stimulus for the lobster to be able to grow is that it feels uncomfortable. Now, if lobsters had doctors, they would never grow because as soon as the lobster feels uncomfortable, goes to the doctor, gets a Valium, gets a Percoset, feels fine. Never comes off his shell.
So I think what we have to realize is that we have to realize that times of stress are also times that are also signals for growth. And if we use adversity properly, we can grow through adversity.
Your support powers life-changing programs offered at no charge to veterans, military, first responders, and their families. With your help, our Warriors won't just survive — they'll thrive.
We have received your email sign-up. Please tell us more about yourself.