We may face, more than once in our lives, a situation where hardships seem to fill our days, and everything feels bleak and hopeless. It is during those times that it is important to remember these undeniable truths about life:

1) Nothing lasts forever.

However good or bad a situation is, it will change. Sorrows, misery, troubles, failures, success – they’re all transitory. They, too, shall pass.

2) Pain helps us grow.

Everybody must go through growing pains. What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. Accept the hardship, explore your pain, and once the waves of sadness die down, you will be rejuvenated.

“Remember, no matter what your tests are, you are not too weak to fight. God will not burden you with suffering more than you are able to bear.” — Paramahamsa Yogananda

3) Fears are an illusion born out of ignorance.

There is always some fear of the unknown. The overwhelming fear is that of death, deception and dejection. Don’t be paralyzed with fear. Fears will only get stronger if we let it. We should always be in control of our fear and not let it control us. Fear can serve us by keeping us alert in dangerous situations.

There should be one altar in this world where we surrender completely. When we bow there, we should unburden all our fears and worries. Then we’ll fear nothing and be fearless.

4) Struggles are nothing but steps on the way to success.

When you’re pursuing your dreams, struggles are inevitable. Remember that patience does not mean inaction. Patience means staying on track and using each struggle as a stepping stone to realize your dreams. It will not be easy, but it will always be educational.

Remember: Troubles are needed to develop the mines of human intelligence.

5) Nothing genuinely great is instant.

Everything has a gestation period. When a seed is planted, we don’t instantly get fruit out of it. It may take years. If we could have everything we wanted instantly, we’d lose our drive to grow, and things that don’t grow end up decaying and dying away. Practice patience and enjoy the journey.

6) Change what you can.

Have the courage to change what you can, serenity to accept what you cannot change and the wisdom to know the difference. We cannot change a single moment of our past. We must learn to endure cheerfully what cannot be cured. We should believe in ourselves, and we will gain in terms of patience, inner strength and willpower.

7) “Good” and “bad” depend on our outlook.

Life is a billion shades of grey, some darker, some lighter, but it’s never black or white. We may think that something we’re doing is good, but if we end up tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep, it means that our conscience doesn’t necessarily agree. People aren’t bad, but they can do terrible things due to errors in judgment born out of ignorance. They are also going through a struggle we may not be able to see.

8) Don’t be afraid to take a leap of faith.

It truly is incredible what positive expectations can do for us. Even if you think that taking a leap of faith can be risky, trusting your gut feeling will often be much to your benefit. If you use your gut feelings as a kind of internal GPS, then you may be surprised to find that it can guide you on your path almost effortlessly.

Taking risks will make us more creative and give us more confidence. Even if you fail a couple of times, get up and try again. Get out of your comfort zone.

9) Everything begins with a single thought.

It’s important to allow ourselves time to visualize things and let our imagination run wild. If we don’t spend any time thinking creatively, we can’t expect to create anything memorable and unique.

10) Don’t let other people’s opinions influence you.

Treat any personal feedback or remarks the same way you would with any other kind of feedback or review. Search for any pearls of wisdom or insight but then decide for yourself what is fair and what is outrageously incorrect.

11) There is no perfect time to do anything.

No matter what point in your life you’ve reached, you’ll always be able to make up an excuse not to begin anything, whether it’s money, age, time or anything else. Life changes every moment, and if you keep saying you’ll do something eventually, then you probably never will.

12) No matter what you do, there will be people ready to support you.

Even if life choices have made you lose the support of certain people, there will always be others who are ready to support you no matter what.

13) Fulfilment comes from thinking beyond yourself.

Purpose and meaning are reinforced every time you help others and see life from beyond your own desires and needs. In this way, you’ll be able to add value to the lives of others, reaping immense emotional rewards while you do so.

14) We are beyond the body.

We are a spiritual entity going through human experience and not the other way round. The body, sense organs, mind and intellect are merely instruments through which we function in the world. That which enlivens these instruments is what we are. It is unborn and deathless, beginningless and eternal. This knowledge can help us overcome the fear of death to a great extent.