The Tribune

By Spence Finlayson

"Without rain nothing grows. Learn to embrace the storms of your life."

Hurricane Harvey made landfall 25 days ago, which if you were counting, was four hurricanes ago.

Experts say the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season has been unusually active. According to Bob Henson, a meteorologist for the forecasting service Weather Underground "this season has been an overachiever by almost every index". He went on to say: "We've had more than a year's worth of named storms when you look at the long term average and that's being just past the midpoint of the season."

There have been 13 named storms this year. Only four other seasons since 1995 have had that many storms by September 18. Four of the seven - Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria - have reached Category 3 or higher, the threshold for a major hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. And so we are in the throes of an extremely busy and destructive hurricane season.

The storms remind me of life's challenges of a personal nature for many of our Caribbean brothers and sisters. Life is full of ups and downs, setbacks, trials and tribulations. The longer I live the more I realize that nobody is immune or exempt from the hardships of life. Today, many people are having their homes foreclosed, automobiles repossessed, utilities disconnected and so on. With a poor economy worldwide, it seems as if the hurricanes are adding insult to injury.

It is normal to have sorrow, need, sickness or any other adversity in your life. Overcoming that adversity is what matters most. Someone once said that "adversity is that particular something that introduces a man to himself."

When we are faced with adverse situations, it builds our strength and character. Joshua J Marine once said "challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful."

• Here are three ways to turn your hurricanes of life into success:

1. Keep your eyes

on the prize

Don't allow the storms to distract you from what you were working towards. Many people become distracted and disoriented when hurricanes are approaching and they lose focus, failing to keep things in proper perspective. Just recently I had invited more than 50 people to the live taping of my motivational television show called Dare To Be Great in Nassau at The British Colonial Hilton Hotel. While preparing to go to the hotel, I received numerous calls from invited guests wanting to know if we were still taping the show because of the impending hurricane. I firmly said yes, but only three people showed up. They lost focus and became distracted.

2. Look for the good in

the difficulties

Try to see the good that hides in every situation, as a pessimist sees obstacles in his opportunities, the optimist sees opportunities in his difficulties. The things that you learn from your challenges can help others get through their storms of life.

3. Bounce back!

Les Brown always said: "If you get knocked down in life try to land on your back because if you could look up, then you can get up."

John Maxwell said: "A difficult time can be more readily endured if we retain the conviction that our existence holds a purpose, a cause to pursue, a person to love, a goal to achieve."

So as we continue to battle the storms of life, keep in mind these hurricanes did not come to stay, they came to pass. The sun will come out tomorrow and you will have made it yet again. As the famous poet Maya Angelou says "yet still I rise!"

You will rise again because your life is worthwhile, valuable and you are important to some people, maybe not all people, but definitely some people. I have learned that storm clouds may rise and strong winds may blow but I know the Lord will take me through it all. He'll make a way for me so I'm going to hold out till he comes. God bless you as you live your best life now!

• Spence M Finlayson, Bahamian-born, world renowned motivational speaker and corporate trainer is the founder, president and CEO of The Phoenix Institute For Positive Development and Empowerment, a human resources development firm based in Nassau, Bahamas. He has conducted workshops and seminars in over 22 foreign countries. He can be contacted at phoenixinstitute@gmail.com or call 601-6162 He is celebrating 3o years in business.