Leading Yourself Through Adversity

Boyle Park Media opens with a feature, followed by glimpses into faith, family, and thought.

Feature

Bev and I are blessed to count Devon & Pearlene Clunis as friends. They are both published authors and Devon is recognized as the first Black Police Chief in Canada. We are delighted that Devon has given his blessing for us to publish his monthly newsletter. .

🕊️Opening Reflection

For most of my life, I have valued change. The adrenaline rush of going from zero to sixty in an instant, the high-pressure, high-stakes decisions – it is all invigorating. That desire for change drove me to stay in policing for almost three decades, and it also drove my decision to retire in 2016. I needed a new challenge.

For the most part, I was in control of the major changes that came my way. The keyword here is control. I think most of us like to be in control. Not in an authoritarian way, but we like to know we have some agency over our lives.

So what do you do when life takes the control out of your hands?

When the Body Says No

In March of 2021, I had a severe allergic reaction to something. The result left me with a lung capacity of 36.9%. Chewing would leave me breathless. I recall thinking, “What are you going to do if this is how it will be for the rest of your life?”

I went to bed many nights wondering if there would be life for me in the morning.

I had no control.

But what I did have was peace in the moment. A lot of that peace came from accepting that I had no control. All I could do was give my body time to heal and take practical steps to improve my breathing.

I walked through that time with a determination: should I get my breath back, I would be even more purposeful in using it to make a difference.

The Unexpected Gift of Powerlessness

Here’s what I learned in that season: surrendering control isn’t giving up. It’s giving in to reality. And reality, once accepted, offers a strange kind of freedom.

When you stop fighting what you cannot change, you conserve energy for what you actually can do. For me, that was small, practical steps. Breathing exercises. Rest. Patience. Prayer.

And with time, some sensible decisions, and a lot of grace, I did get my breath back. My lungs are actually better now than they were before that event.

Wouldn’t it be great if every challenge left us stronger once it’s passed? That’s what I’m hoping for.

Building a Practice of Leading Yourself

Adversity doesn’t announce itself. It arrives without warning. And when it does, you must be prepared to lead yourself through it.

Here’s what that looks like:

1. Name What You Can’t Control
Make a list. Be honest. The illness. The other person’s reaction. The economy. The past. Now set it down. You don’t have to carry what you cannot move.

2. Identify What You Can
Your breath. Your next step. Your response. Your attitude. Who you call for support. These are small, but they are everything. Focus there.

3. Find Peace in the Pause
When control slips away, our instinct is to panic. But panic is just fear looking for a place to land. Instead, practice being still. Even for sixty seconds. In that stillness, clarity often arrives.

4. Trust That Strength Can Come From Struggle
I didn’t ask for that health crisis. But it reshaped me. It taught me that I am more than my abilities, more than my productivity. I am a person with a purpose that outlasts any single season.

Your Turn: Leading Yourself This April

As spring moves toward fullness, let’s prepare ourselves for the unexpected with quiet readiness.

✅ Take an Honest Inventory
What situation are you currently facing where you’re fighting for control you don’t actually have? Name it. Then release it.

✅ Take One Small Action
What is one practical step you can take today? Not the whole solution. Just one step. Then take it.

✅ Reframe a Past Struggle
Think of a difficult season you’ve already survived. How did it change you? What strength did it leave behind? Let that memory remind you: you’ve done hard things before. You can do this one too.

Your Turn: Leading Yourself This April

As spring moves toward fullness, let’s prepare ourselves for the unexpected with quiet readiness.

✅ Take an Honest Inventory
What situation are you currently facing where you’re fighting for control you don’t actually have? Name it. Then release it.

✅ Take One Small Action
What is one practical step you can take today? Not the whole solution. Just one step. Then take it.

Final Thought

I find myself in another season of being a little out of control. I won’t pretend it’s easy. But I’m thankful for what the last one taught me: peace is possible even when answers aren’t. Healing takes time. And every challenge, no matter how unwelcome, carries within it the seed of something stronger.

You don’t have to be fearless. You just have to keep showing up; one breath, one step, one day at a time.

And if you’re in a hard season right now, please know this: you are not alone. And you are not stuck. This moment will not last forever.

With gratitude, and with breath in my lungs to share this with you,

🙏 Devon

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Devon’s latest book is entitled ONE – A Story of Hope in Our Time

Boyle Park Editorial Policy: “We don’t necessarily agree with what you say, but we will defend to the death your right to say it.” (Evelyn Beatrice Hall, 1906)