Difficult Things Happen FOR you, not TO you

As we close the books on 2017, I know there are a lot of people hurting from loss or other difficulties.  I would never minimize that pain.  But I would like to share an insight that might allow you to take a broader view and find some good in every situation.  Maybe you’ll be able to look upon the memory of 2017 in a brighter light and a little less disdain.

There’s a great excerpt in the Final Thoughts chapter of The Little Book of Big Change.  The author’s friend challenges her to find the good in her eighteen month struggle to conceive.  It was baffling at first to think anything good could’ve come from such heartbreak.  But when she really thought about it, there were positive changes. She experienced a lot of insight and growth during that period. She was closer than ever with her husband. She also made some lasting lifestyle changes and adopted healthier habits to improve chances of conception.

The notion that a year and a half of struggle somehow enriched her life seemed ridiculous, but there it was.  Once she allowed herself to entertain the idea that difficult things happen for us, she began to find good in other situations too.

On the surface, this sounds a little like turning a frown upside down or making the best of a bad situation. But it’s more than that.  It’s a paradigm shift in the way you view the world.  Can you see how different believing that difficult things happen FOR you rather than TO you is?  It removes the negativity and the struggle.  It’s supreme acceptance and openness.  “Okay, show me this gift, universe. Maybe I’m not seeing it yet, but I’m ready to see how this difficulty has enriched me and even how it might enrich others.”

The big difference is being open to possibilities, open to insight and growth.

Happy New Year to you. May it be one of peaceful, meaningful life experiences.