Skip to main content

Challenging Times: A Deeper Look

Having a tough time lately?

Are you feeling extremely challenged?

It seems, for many of us (me included), to be a time of great consistent challenges (with a few rewards in between). I know at times it is hard to remember, but CHALLENGES ARE A GOOD THING!

Our greatest challenges are also our greatest opportunities. It is those challenges that are most personally trying that later become our greatest strengths. Just as authors write the books they needed to read, you will become the best teacher in the areas that are most challenging to you. A shift of perspective may reveal an invisible line that connects the dots in your puzzle.

1. Get into the habit of changing your perspective to see the opportunity. When you feel the frustration, irritation, and stress: Pause. Turn inward. Create space to focus on the opportunity being presented. Sometimes it helps to get out to get a fresh perspective. Other times it helps to settle in and open up a journal to jot down all of your feelings. Go toward the way that feels right to you. Just making the commitment to finding the opportunity will open up that possibility. And hey, if you don't prioritize looking for the opportunity now, you will keep seeing that challenge until you seize the gift within it! Reason enough to do it now?

2. Expand your vision and have faith. Think of the ultimate outcome to this situation. What would be your ideal? Your unlimited best-case-scenario? Really enjoy the process of creating your greatest vision. Then think bigger. Trust that many possibilities for these visions lie within the power of the universe and that you can have what you most deeply desire. Most often, we just need to get out of our own way.

3. Share your findings with others. Those who are supportive will help you create what you want by investing their energy toward your goals. Sometimes this can be as simple as them sharing ways you may be able to do what you want to do or new ideas they see as opportunities for you. And of course, two candles burning together have a much larger flame than either one alone. One of the best benefits of friendship is synergy. Somehow friends can see certain things so easily that we can't see about ourselves, even when trying to look many different ways. Make sure to reap these wonderful rewards of your dearest relationships. Most often we just need to say what we want verbally to create great changes within us. Simply hearing yourself say something can work wonders on moving you forward.

And then.... Follow through with implementing your findings into your daily being and structure. Check in weekly to make sure the changes are actually happening and adjust as necessary. With an intention, an open mind, and determination - you will find your way.

Enjoy the ups and downs. They are all part of your beautiful unfolding.
Remember, without the downs, we wouldn't recognize the ups at all.

 Love!

Danielle Marie Crume
  Bookmark and Share

Originally posted: 1/8/09
Refreshed on: 3/8/10
Labels:

Comments

  1. ElleMarch 9, 2010 at 10:41 AM

    I have nominated you for the Attitude and Gratitude Award! To accept follow the rules and share the love.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Please share your experience... Thanks!!

Popular posts from this blog

Being Happy - From the *Inside* Out

I've always been a people watcher.  As a young girl, I openly looked at everyone I came in contact with, wondering who was the happiest?  It was a little disheartening during my exploration to uncover that it seemed that almost everyone had a significant amount of unhappiness and troubles in life.  I guess I wanted to live a fairy tale.  Some people, however, had a great time with life, even through its challenges. I noticed that those who were overall most happiest usually had a sense of humor about their experience.  They weren't richer, more beautiful, or better off.  They were just happy with what was and were strong in rolling with it.  Everyone goes through hard times. Being truly happy is not by getting somewhere or accomplishing something.  It is a part of who you are .  It is your character, your essential being, the fabric of you.  Children are often born with a knowing of it, but many of us lose touch with this understand...
9 comments
Read more

Licorice Grandpa

In high school I wrote this story about my beloved Grandpa Chuck.  I just read it again yesterday for the first time in 15 years to my son.  I am very thankful to remember these details I had forgotten and to share the essence of such a wonderful man with my boy.   I also realized how much of an impact he has made on me that still holds in my character today.  In memory of grandpa, here is the story.  Slightly edited. :) Licorice Grandpa My grandpa was simply the best.  There is no way I can describe what an incredible person he was.  He seemed to be the only grandpa alive who was still "a kid" inside.  It is because of these reasons that my grandpa Chuck has made an impact on how I live my life today. One of the best memories I have of my grandpa is going to his house every holiday.  My family would enter my grandparent's huge immaculate house and be overtaken with the strong thick smell of my grandpa's pipe.  As soon as we ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Love Is

“…And the greatest of all these is love.” ~Corinthians You could explore and study love for your whole lifetime and still never fully understand it. You may only catch a glimpse of its fascinating possibilities. Love is one of those expansive eternal forces - far beyond our senses’ ordinary perception. It is something many dream of, imagine about, and wait for. Some say love is the essence of all there is and that love is the answer. Some say love hurts or it doesn’t even exist. Some prophets say that there is only love or fear at the root of everything - and that love is the only truth. We all have different versions and understandings of love - which evolve throughout our lifetime. They may range from a feeling for a soul mate to one about a favorite shirt. Love can be a sweet nickname or a feared word. Some express it with tenderness, others with strength. Some say I love you to everyone. Some reserve it only for “the one”. Others never say it at all. It can be as simple a...
3 comments
Read more