A CRISIS CAN BE A HELPFUL WAKE-UP CALL.
Before proceeding further with the process of changing ourselves, let’s recap a few main points. A personal crisis in our lives can be viewed as a good thing, and even ‘a blessing’. A crisis can be the wake-up call, or warning we really need. A crisis can give us the incentive or ‘the permission’ to stop our usual ways.
A crisis can also force us to reflect on what has transpired. We might even review our life and change our perspective. A crisis invites deep contemplation and serious decision making. If utilized properly, all this allows a wondrous opening. It's an opportunity for real change in our lives.
A crisis is a ‘window of opportunity’ for a significant personal transformation. This can start with quiet inner reflection, and an increased awareness of our own thinking. We might then accept our true situation and consider our unmet needs! We might start to explore our true inner nature, and even uncover our hidden capacity.
EVERY CRISIS HAS A SILVER LINING!
A crisis signals our distress to others. It indicates our need for help & understanding. By flagging our distress, we trigger the assistance of others. An external support structure to help us cope, can be mobilized. This might require community health resources and support agencies. A crisis also activates social resources which include family, neighbors, work colleagues & friends.
…Are open to help from others?
A CRISIS HELPS US RECOGNIZE OUR TRUE FRIENDS.
A life crisis is usually accepted as a time of special need. Hopefully, most people around us will understand & respect our needs! A personal crisis acts like an SOS signal to the outside world. It signals our need for personal understanding and community support.
A life crisis also demonstrates our vulnerability to our family & friends. A crisis can even demonstrate who our true friends really are! Those friends will really care about us, in the right way. Supportive friends will encourage us to pause & reflect. They will not be judgmental or controlling. They will patiently support us and help us to adjust at this critical time.
WE CAN REDIRECT TOWARDS JOY & FULFILMENT.
A crisis may help facilitate a reconnection with our true self. We might address the inner needs & desires that we’ve previously neglected. We might utilize these inner drives, instead of just holding them back. We might align our life direction more towards joy & inner peace.
We can redirect our life towards our new priorities. We can utilize that deep desire for self-expression to power our life. We could employ our talents and unique life experience to aid these goals. A new, purposeful & fulfilling life could result!
WE MUST CONSCIOUSLY COMMIT TO CHANGE.
To activate an inner transformation, we must deeply commit to this process. It must be our true intent and we must really want this! We must be sufficiently sick of suffering and find enough compassion & love for ourselves.
Inner transformation requires a heartfelt decision with a clear intent. This must be a free will decision because we are responsible for the consequences. Our consent must be consciously & freely given without reservation or duress! So essentially, we must authorize this! But will we do this?
…Will you give yourself the authority to change?
A CRISIS PROVIDES THE PERMISSION TO CHANGE.
Our decision making is usually rigid and constrained. It’s somewhat like being imprisoned, with ourselves as the prison guards! We have previously failed to give ourselves the authority to leave. We have refused to break free from old ways of thinking.
We have refused to leave our virtual prison, even though the door was really always open! We usually wait for someone ‘in authority’ to give us the permission to leave. We have been socially conditioned to wait for external directives or an approval before we act.
WE CAN TAKE BACK OUR OWN AUTHORITY.
We can give ourselves the authority to change! We can unlock & open that prison door ourselves. We do this by realizing it’s our prior conditioning that’s holding us back! Especially our conditioned beliefs & expectations. We can decide to rescind that pseudo-authority. We can institute our own sovereignty instead.
We can grant ourselves the authority to act. We use our inner guidance and heed our true inner needs. Utilizing our autonomy can at first seem scary, but in times of crisis we have less to lose. Escaping from a difficult situation seems the logical thing to do. It no longer seems as problematic or frightening!
Sometimes a breakdown of our life is required before we allow this transfer of authority to occur. We can be so entrenched in our old ways! We remain trapped by habit and shackled by our fear of change. A major life crisis may be required to validate such a radical change. When the situation becomes dire, our inner needs become more apparent!
START LISTENING TO YOUR INNER VOICE.
A life crisis can also ‘turn up the volume’ of our inner voice. And we are also more likely to listen! Sometimes we have totally muted this already quiet voice! So, we are missing this valuable input and inner guidance! At times of uncertainty, we are more likely to tune in again. We might then listen intently for that inner voice.
Our personal distress helps raise our general awareness. Initially this will be mixed with anxiety and fear for the future. But this fear will slowly settle. We become more open to new ideas because of our acute need. Our awareness will elevate in a crisis and helps connect us to our inner voice. This becomes a most valuable resource! The very best help & guidance can come from within.
If we continue to ignore our inner voice, we risk aggravating & compounding the situation. Just receiving external advice & support is not sufficient. If we don't heed our inner guidance, a further decline is likely. Even a small crisis can trigger a downward spiral. This can quickly progress to a more serious situation.
IGNORING OUR INNER VOICE IS DANGEROUS.
A crisis can initially increase our level of anxiety & fear. This promotes more anger, frustration & despair. It can lead to a chronic anxiety state or even depression. We can become more aggressive or destructive, and further damage ourselves.
The decision to change is however ours alone! How bad will we allow our situation to get before we choose to act? How long will we be prepared to suffer? Are we sufficiently sick of suffering? Will we wait for a major life crisis, or will we awaken beforehand?