How often have you caught yourself saying that when something you didn’t expect happens? Everything from missing your bus by a whisker, to missing out on that raise or your dream job. The implicit assumption we make in that moment is that everything is hunky-dory with the next person, and life’s just unfair to us.
The truth though is that everyone is on a journey. Well, not the same journey, some may have more tree-lined avenues than cliff edges, but a journey nonetheless. And we’re all on these curated, personalised journeys, with just the right amount of distance, elevation and difficulty to stretch us and teach us the lessons that we have incarnated to learn.
We can choose to ignore the signs, the recurring patterns, but that won’t make them go away. In fact, recurring patterns are the universe’s gentle reminders to help you learn your lesson, whilst you still have tried left. The change will occur, now you can choose if you want to embrace stepping out of your comfort zone voluntarily, or will circumstances have to drag you out kicking and screaming!
And this is true for everyone, no matter how perfect or composed someone may look on the outside, like ducks, we are all paddling furiously under the surface to stay afloat. Some handle the stress better, while some others just bottle up how they are feeling better. Everyone is different, so when adversity comes, don’t be too hard on yourself about how you handle it. Take time off to process the disappointment or sense of loss, acknowledge how you feel, but then decisively step forward, wiser and more prepared.
It’s hard to prepare for difficult times, because you can’t rehearse fight-or-flight responses; they are just hard-wired into our ancient reptilian brains. What you can do proactively is adopt a holistic system like yoga, which includes breathing and meditation techniques. Studies have shown that meditation can bring about subtle changes in your mental make-up, allowing you to respond to challenging situations, rather than reacting to them. And half the battle is won when you own your response, for it's what you do in those initial few minutes that is so crucial to the outcome, be it an argument at home or a conflict at work.
Start your day with gratitude for everything you cherish, your family, your job, your partner or maybe even your pet. This puts you in a positive frame of mind, helping you look forward to the day, rather than dreading what's next. And if things aren’t going your way, try and step back from the situation, look for any signs or repeated patterns, is there a lesson that the universe is trying to nudge you towards? Accept the situation, take the challenge in your stride, and move forward with the faith that beyond the slippery slope and tough terrain lies a meadow with flowers and scents, waiting to welcome you.
