Recently I have been going along enjoying my life and my routines, feeling relatively comfortable with where things are at in this moment. Then all of the sudden my beloved boss was let go from my company, which totally rocked my happy world, and made me a bit of an emotional mess. If that wasn’t enough, a few days later I managed to injure my neck in a way that has caused major throbbing pain and headaches (it’s gotten much better this week with the help of my awesome chiropractor), and the only way I could keep it from hurting was to sit still or lay down. I basically had to stop all my extracurricular activities for the most part and find quiet to manage the emotions and my head/neck pain.
Everything Happens for a Reason
While it all seemed like a bad nightmare, I also know that everything happens for a reason. I’m a super sleuth when it comes to this stuff. I honestly believe you have to dig for it sometimes. So what did I come up with? Well first of all, I have felt that there are big changes coming in my life, and this felt like a bit of a preview of that. One of the major reasons I love my job was my boss, and the Universe just took her away and then forced me to have some quiet time to absorb it (i.e. neck injury). Hmmm.
Seriously though, some people would get caught up in victim mode and feel sorry for themselves, but that’s when you lose the point. You have to step outside of it all and be the observer. Why is this happening? What are you telling me Universe? To me it was pretty clear. The Universe was loosening my grasp on my job. LOL. Yep. Sounds funny, but I felt it. And I wasn’t going to be allowed to miss that point. That’s where the neck injury came in. It forced me to stop moving, and subsequently feel and absorb what was happening.
Signs that Things are Moving Forward
I dream of having my own business and leading my own company someday, but it’s really difficult to think of letting go of my good corporate job, great boss, amazing team, benefits and salary. So the Universe is making it a little easier to imagine leaving it. Mind you, I’m not running out the door. I need to get things moving on this business before I would do that, but the Universe is starting to send me signs – signs that I need to get moving and create it, before my job isn’t where I want to be anymore.
What if I’d just sat around and felt sorry for myself though when this happened? What if I didn’t know that everything happened for a reason and trust the Universe? First of all I probably would have cried the last few weeks and been depressed. Losing my boss, having major pain – it could have taken me down if I let it. And when you don’t recognize what the Universe is showing you, bigger and more challenging things would happen, because you didn’t get the point. I know that sounds funny, and maybe a bit horrible, but it’s true. And I have examples.
When You Dig Yourself a Hole and the Universe Pulls You Out
Several years ago I was going through a period of time when I made a conscious decision I was going to stop drinking alcohol. It didn’t make me feel good, and I made bad choices when I did drink. So I stopped. It drastically changed my social life initially too. People don’t want to drink around a sober person. LOL. Geez, I wonder why? It wasn’t fun spending time with a bunch of drunk people either though. So I also made efforts to really stop going out so much. And at the same time, I was working on myself, and decided not to date for awhile either.
So, to be honest, I really became a bit of a homebody. I had two dogs, but also decided to get a puppy – maybe as an excuse to be home more? Or maybe to just fill the hole I felt in my life not dating and losing friends? Regardless, I became a bit of a recluse.
Soon the Universe started to offer me social events and things to go to, and most of it I turned down. I didn’t want to meet anyone, I didn’t want to drink, and I saw no point in going. Plus, I had a puppy to take care of after all. So I continued to spend time at home, and being anti-social.
Until one day, while out on a trail run (my favorite way to spend my free time – running in the woods), I stepped in a hole and broke my foot. I was devastated! No longer could I run, shop, get down to my basement to do laundry, and the worst part – I couldn’t walk my dogs. I had a bit of a meltdown over it. And the outcome? I realized I needed to start asking for help. To let people back into my life. I couldn’t do it alone. Lesson learned. You shut people out completely, and the Universe will find a way to force you to let people back in. The Universe tried to get me to do this on my own, but when I didn’t take any of the nudges from the Universe, I was put in a position where I had no choice.
Notice, Observe and Learn
We have to notice the lessons. Preferably before the Universe is forced to do these big things. I firmly believe I developed the neck issue just days after my boss was laid off because I needed to take more time to digest it and regroup than I was doing. I was going through the motions and doing my normal routines, and the Universe was like – um, hello? Big shit just happened. Stop. Notice. Absorb it. Things are changing. Don’t just go through the motions of life. Observe what just happened. Figure out what is next for you. You can’t be happy with this. Stop pretending that everything is fine. It’s not. Look around. What will you do now?
So what I’m saying here is notice. Observe. Stop feeling sorry for yourself (at least excessively). What is the Universe telling you? If your boyfriend leaves you, feel it of course, but then step back and look at the situation – is the Universe showing you that you deserve better? Or maybe that you need some time alone to learn to love yourself? Possibly you’ll even notice a pattern of certain types of men you are dating that always leave you – so you can change your ways? Regardless, you need to take the time and observe it, learn from it, and grow from it. Notice how and where you might be redirected. Nothing happens by accident and there are lessons in everything. Find the lesson and grow from it, so the Universe doesn’t have to get serious about it and really shake you down.
Let no stone go unturned. Get curious and sleuth-like about everything that happens to you. Every person and situation you encounter. What was it there to teach you? It’s usually helping to redirect you to a better path or better ways of dealing with things. The Universe is trying to show you the path of least resistance to living the life of your dreams. You need to pay attention! If you go to a place of fear, victim mentality, or getting down on yourself – you haven’t learned anything yet, so try and step out of that and observe. It’s also about loving yourself to the point of not seeing things in this way anymore, but instead, knowing that you deserve the best and realizing the Universe is trying to help you find your way to that.
You might also enjoy reading The Lessons in Everything we do and Slow Down and Pay Attention
A book you might like to read is Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
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