If there’s one thing we can all predict about life, it’s that it will forever remain unpredictable. None of us can forecast exactly what life we will live, although we can plan for the best we may be able to work towards. Unfortunately, very tough experiences happen to people anew every single day, all over the world. In these times, it’s hard not to curse our luck and feel awful about our prospects.

But it’s also important to remember that great good can happen as well, at a similar frequency. We see that the world around us is ambivalent, and in that, we can find a sense of peace. As people, we are also agents of change, and that means that beliefs, interpretations, and willingness to build a better tomorrow have real influence. Turning tough life experiences into something positive can be a tough ask, but it may be one of the best approaches you have ever taken.

In this post, we hope to discuss how you can come out of tremendous difficulty and retroactively redeem it with your actions. In this way, we can find hope and a better tomorrow:

It can be helpful to spread awareness of issues that might have affected you or someone you know. For instance, letting people know about The National Brain Appeal and donating as appropriate can be a big help. The more people can relate, the more they care, and who knows, your efforts might just help someone similar to you or the person you know in the future. That in itself can pay goodwill forward.

To the degree that we can, taking our time to aid others can help. It’s not uncommon to see ex-addicts and prisoners clean up their ways, and then spend some of their free time reaching out to the youth, such as by talking in schools or working with initiatives for social support, serving as a real example of what can happen if they go down the same path. Some of your time spent volunteering, or perhaps being that friend to someone you were never afforded can be a massive aid, and in the long run, makes a major difference.

While it’s tough to forget the problems we have to endure in life, it’s also true that we can take a new perspective on them. Many people who have been through difficulty don’t necessarily condone what happened but are grateful that they are who they are today. Some lessons may be able to be learned, even if that just means being grateful for every day and making sure we don’t waste it while we’re here. An approach like that can make all the positive difference in the world.

With this advice, you’re certain to turn tough life experiences into something positive. Just like a prism, you will be able to take dull light and shine it into something new. Before you know it, you’ll have become someone you’re truly proud of.