When we’re in the midst of challenges it can be hard to remember that they are temporary.
We get stuck in feelings of fear and powerlessness and struggle – and we forget that our reaction to these hardships can either make them better or worse.
If we react with anger, resistance, denial or anxiety, we are sure to keep the problems going, or even make them worse by taking hasty actions born from fear. If we instead see problems as an opportunity to reflect and reconnect with our inner selves, the problems turn into gateways for building something even better.
When challenges come knocking on our door, a wise first move is to recognize it for what it is: a situation that can play out in many different ways. Rather than assuming that the universe is punishing us for something we’ve done wrong; rather than assuming that disaster is just around the corner; rather than assuming that all is lost, we can simply look that challenge right in the face and say, “You have no power over me.”
A wise second move is to look within ourselves and acknowledge any role that we played in the creation of the circumstances that birthed the challenge. Have we been ignoring our intuitive insights? Have we been trying to force outer conditions to adhere to our wishes?
Have we been unclear about what we want?
Through a period of inner reflection and surrender to the universe, we often open ourselves to the perfect solutions to make the challenges fade away – or at least find ways to accept and deal with them effectively.
Before long, we realize that our willingness to face our challenges and trust the universe has opened the door to a new period of clarity, meaning and growth in all areas of our lives.