In this season of record-breaking, frigidly cold temperatures and snowstorms, we are constantly reminded about the "storms" of life. Some storms we go through because of nature unleashing her authority. Other times we go through personal storms. Storms, whether of a natural way, or personal way affect our psyche in the same way. For example, if your home is affected in a negative way by the weather, you might think, "Why me?" "Why now?" "What did I do to deserve this?" Odds are favorable that if you are "weathering" a storm such as a health challenge, business challenge or relationship challenge, the same questions are coming up for you......Why me? Why now? What did I do to deserve this?
It is my personal experience that whenever I go through a storm, I try to do that minor mind adjustment where I think, COULD this EVER be a good thing? Sometimes it's challenging and difficult to even go there, but I find that if we can look at our "storms" as being a sort of housecleaning event of your home, heart, mind, or soul, that it might change your perspective. For example, if you just recently lost your job, you might think, "Geesh, Why me? Why Now? I have all these bills mounting up from the holidays. Now WHAT will I do??" If you say instead, "Geesh, this is NOT fun, but NOW maybe I can apply for that job I have always wanted to do, and who knows??? maybe this will all turn out ok." When you do that minor mindshift, you have just taken yourself out of the VICTIM role and put yourself into the TAKE CHARGE role. What a freeing place to be in.
Winter seems to be a time when we go within and look at ourselves, and our lives. Ironically, the new year always rings in during the darkest part of winter. How ironic, eh? The whole new year's traditions with making resolutions and setting goals, while we are in the darkest part of the year, forces us to do some of that "housecleaning". Storms have a way of tossing us immediately out of our comfort zones, which then allows for us to be very efficient and creative with how we deal with this storm raging through our life.
There is a wonderful quote by an unknown author that states, "The rainbows of life follow the storm." They always do, if you just look for it. So use this "blizzardy" time of the year to look within. Think about the storms of your life that you are trying so hard to "weather". Can you make the storm into a rainbow? Did the roof that caved in due to the bad weather need replacing anyways? Now you will have to replace it. Did you know that your boss was going to fire you and now you HAVE to look for another job, so why not choose a job that embraces your passion? Did you know that your relationship was not a good one, and now that they broke up with you, you are now forced to look for that "ideal" partner? Did you know your health was not good, and now that you have the "scary diagnosis or injury", you know that you will do better because your life depends on it?
If we would spend less time in our "pity parties", and more times embracing our wonderful spirits, our beautiful qualities, our positive attributes, and our creative ways in dealing with those raging storms that come into our lives, then we would likely come out of the storm and see the rainbow for what it is. A light, a beauty, a joy at the end of the storm.
I challenge you to look at your storms, deal with them, and force yourself to find ONE good thing about pushing through it.
I double dare you to make it an AWESOME day with a rainbow at the end!
:)
Melissa
