When my alarm went off at 5 a.m., the day’s possibilities filled my head. The last county fair of the show season was set to begin in a few hours, and I could not wait! I had spent the previous days preparing my show pigs for this very event. The animals were washed, my truck and trailer ready, and the supplies gathered. It did not take long for my dad and I to load our hogs into the trailer, locate last minute supplies, and be ready to start the 45 minute drive to the fairgrounds. However, my hope and excitement quickly faded when I turned the key to the truck and realized we would not be going anywhere soon because it would not start. I knew that we had to find a way to get the truck running quickly if I wanted to attend the show. 

I did not want to miss out! After all, I had spent countless hours preparing. I love the show environment — working with the animals, spending time with friends and family, and growing my knowledge of the industry. I was frustrated that my truck would not start when I should have been leaving. In those moments of frustration, it is easy to get upset and focus on the negatives. But we must remind ourselves that we all face challenges we have to overcome. We can let our challenges prevent us from growing, or we can use them to become stronger. 

Eventually, after working for a while, we finally got the truck running again. However, the rest of our struggles did not simply disappear because the truck engine is running. There are always challenges that we must overcome, but if we have a positive mindset, we will become stronger. Grow through struggles, enjoy the process, and count your blessings!