When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.

When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.
-Haruki Murakami

The idea is that when you go through a storm, it physically changes who you are. The storm is an experience, but sometimes the experience of life can be interpreted as a storm. In this article , you will learn the definition of a storm, why they are important to life experiences, and how they can affect your personality.

Before starting this article, it is highly advised that the reader have empathy for themselves and others. The idea of experiencing a storm may trigger memories or feelings that cause distress, so please take care of yourself first before reading this article.

What is Storm

A storm is defined as a time of great disorder, confusion, or difficulty (Oxford Dictionaries). The storm may be internal (emotional) or external (physical) but is always an extreme experience that can change your personality. For example, there are the internal storms that cause you to deal with internal conflicts like grief and the external storms that cause you to deal with physical situations like war.

Because a storm is an extreme experience, it can change who you are. For example, when you go through a divorce, your whole life changes because you will be experiencing loss and fear while also questioning your beliefs about love and relationships. There are many types of storms that can impact your life. There are physical storms, mental storms, emotional storms, and even societal storms.

Physical storms are physical experiences like war, illness, or injury that impact your body. Emotional storms are emotional experiences like death of a loved one or experiencing rejection that impact your mind. Mental storms are mental experiences like learning about something new or trying to understand the world around you that affect your personality. Social storms are social situations like racism, abuse, or discrimination that impact how you interact with the world around you.

Why do people handle storms differently

Every person has the capacity to handle a storm, but not every person does. There are several reasons why do people handle storms differently:

Some people may have had more practice with similar storms in the past, so they gain coping skills over time.
Some people may be better at accepting change or dealing with confusion than others (this does not mean they like change or confusion).
Some people may be more familiar with the particular storm; for example, someone who has been through a divorce before may react very differently than someone who has never been married.
Some people process their emotions better than others: if your emotions feel overwhelming and disorienting, you will probably handle your emotions differently than someone who can process their emotions more easily.
Some people have a lower tolerance for pain and discomfort; if you don’t like to feel bad, you will probably handle your storm differently than someone with a higher tolerance for pain or discomfort.
Some people are better at accepting help from others; if you prefer to be independent, you will probably handle your storm differently than someone who prefers to ask for help.
Some people are better at accepting new information; if you aren’t open to different ways of thinking about the world around you, you will probably handle your storm differently than someone who is more accepting of different ideas and beliefs.

Storms will change you

Each storm is a little different and will have its own impact on each person. The storm analogy is helpful because it reminds you that every experience you have will change you. They will always challenge who you are and how you see yourself in your environment. You may not like all of the changes that come with a storm, but sometimes we have to go through our own storm so we can become the person who walks out.

For example, if you go through a divorce, you will be changed by the process. You may not like or want all of these changes because they are difficult and painful. However, there is value in accepting that storms change you. This means that sometimes it’s best to embrace the fact that your life is changing instead of trying to fight against the change.

Final thoughts

Storms can shape your personality, beliefs about the world around you, and how you process information. While storms are very difficult to go through, once you have experienced a storm it’s important to remember that the storm change who you are for better or worse.

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