When....
it feels like life has turned against you and many of those "feel-good" elements of your everydays start to disappear like bunnies in a hat... your source of income is jeopardized... your stuck and can't travel anymore ... and simply things just don't seem to go your way...
How do you generally react and respond?
Do you start throwing those invisible (hopefully) knives towards life and people around you, as anger, sadness and anxiety start to spread gradually over your body, mind and soul like melted butter on a toast?
Will anger, hopelessness and fear become like your shadows, following you around even to the toilet and the most hidden, secret corners of your mind? Perhaps for days, weeks, years...?
Do you feel as if all this is not your fault, life is unfair and you are just the victim of the system?
Do you maybe start blaming yourself for not being smart or good enough like James Bond to have prevented it?
Do you let self-doubt take over like how the smartphones did?
Well.
If we look at the entire picture, what you feel is real.
You are right to feel what you feel.
However it could be just your perception blurring the picture and the reality it's not what you think it is.
But.
Even if you are right, things are often not fair...
nor unfair.
"Bad" things are also just happenings.
We label them as good or bad.
We will never fully understand the reason or purpose behind it all or have full control of the situations we face.
HOWEVER what we do have control over is how we react and face adversity. Like it or not that is 100% our choice.
You might be wondering now, how on earth is it possible to do this...
Next time you find yourself in an annoying and difficult situation, maybe one full of uncertainty, fear and unhappiness, start thinking and ask yourself the following questions:
What is life trying to show me or teach me now?
Am I worrying about a possible future or remembering something that has happened in the past?
Is it true? Is it certain?
What can I do about it? Can I change it? Can I move away from it? Can I accept it?
What can I learn from this?
How can I turn this into something positive?
Is it really that bad?
How many new doors are opening for me now?
Is it for the better that things will change?
What’s the worst thing that can happen?
What is it that now I can start doing that I never had time or always wanted to but never had the chance…?
Did I create this with my thoughts and wished for it to happen?
Can I connect to the feeling of believing that the best will happen and we are all guided by unseen forces?
Was it really good for me how things were?
Trick your mind
If you find yourself in a situation you really dislike - no matter what - go and tell yourself that "It's Fu*ing Great"! Just trick your mind. Play with it and be amazed that it actually helps, because your brain cannot handle this kind of contradiction. It will start finding reasons why it is actually not so bad what you are going through. You might even end up laughing. Hey, Mr. Humour is your greatest friend, don't forget about him.
Can you see where I am trying to get to here…?
Difficult situations are often a call, that something needs to change.
To get still, to turn inwards. To listen and open up to our inner voice and find the things that really matter.
To let that gut feeling and inner strength move forward from deep within and guide us.
As famous teachers such as Eckhart Tolle and Deepak Chopra say, being at ease with what is and not knowing what will come, is the perfect place to find answers. However if we are too caught up being unhappy, angry, sad, anxious and fearful in a situation or uncertain state - we cannot hear the messages of our intuition (higher self, inner wisdom, guardian angels, universe, god or however you wish to call it).
The circumstances outside us do not have to determine how we feel. We can choose to respond with a smile instead of a frown, with hope instead of fear.
Uncertainty is neutral.
Generally events in themselves are neutral.
It’s the thoughts we add to it - of a possible future or a bad memory of a past event - which make things good or bad in our minds.
Remember great things can emerge from change.
How you experience change - a horrible, sad, ending of all good things in life or an exciting new adventure, full of opportunities - is totally up to you.
As Deepak Chopra said: “The ingredients that make dreams come true and live a happier life, regardless of the outside circumstances are:
taking responsibility for your destiny,
embracing the possibilities that rise on this day,
being open and alert to change,
having a confident and flexible response to change,
finding solutions when problems and obstacles arise.
These are awareness skills that we call all develop and strengthen. Learn to control your mind, so it does not control you.
Pain and fear is powerful.
Use their power and turn it into constructive action, optimism, creativity and hope.
Let it become your inner strength.
And last, but most important.
Whatever life throws at you, always take it
O N E D A Y A T A T I M E .
By moving step by step and not trying to solve everything at once we can prevent panic and feeling overwhelmed.
You know what they say, if life throws you a lemon just ask for a Corona...uhm… I mean a beer or soda or... tequila!
After all life actually is just Fu**ing Great!