A few things happen when we reach our breaking point – whether it be with a relationship, friendships, work, our kids. Something takes over and we realize we’ve had enough. There’s no going back. However, what we do at this moment often defines the course our life takes moving forward.
We all have choices to make – some are harder than others. Sometimes, in these moments, we freeze. We’re incapable of moving forward. Our minds are stagnated for some time, stuck in the present. Everything we’ve ever known is changing, so how can we possibly process what the next steps should be?
So, we linger here, unable to move. We don’t understand how we’re supposed to handle whatever life has thrown at us, so we choose not to handle it at all. Other, unhealthy alternatives are often sought – all forms of addictions, detriments and time wasters. We stay here until we’re literally unable to any longer because life pushes back harder than we can shove it aside. If we resist, it’ll only push hard enough to force us out of our comfort zone.
We are a compilation of our experiences and memories, each new experience building on the prior. So, when things don’t go as planned and that outcome is unfamiliar, it’s difficult to understand how to accept this – truly accept it – and learn from it. It takes some sort of divine intervention, something beyond our natural understanding, to get us to move. Movement triggers growth. We cannot grow without being tested.
It takes traumatic moments to help us appreciate the present rather than wishing for the future or dwelling on the past. If we stumble once or twice, we begin to understand the necessity of checking in with our present selves, attempting to understand who we are in these situations, so we can summon our individual coping skills to navigate through to the other side. It is in reaching our breaking point that we understand what we must do.
If we’re never faced with obstacles to overcome, we essentially coast through life only half understanding our potential. We don’t move forward and grow, we don’t move back, we’re just stuck somewhere in limbo. And, in limbo, we have a natural tendency to become bored and disinterested with life. When we become bored and disinterested, we become depressed. And, this is where much of the world operates – in stagnation.
It usually takes difficult circumstances to understand that we possess the ability to pull through. During and after difficulties, we begin to see the full picture. Once we see the full picture, we better understand who we are.
Once we’ve accessed the other half, often we’re so elated we want to share our gifts with those who haven’t yet realized their strengths. We’ve been equipped with the ability not only to help ourselves through whatever life throws at us, but with the ability now to help others who are still lost somewhere in the middle.
This is why you’ll often see superheroes with traumatic backstories. These superheroes are alive and well in the real world, too. You’ll find many in psychology and counseling or in alternative healing positions. The next time you’re seeking help, dare to ask what led them down their chosen path. You’ll probably find you have a lot in common.
If you find yourself in a position in which you’re being called to reinvent your life, don’t wait. Everything has led you to this point. Each discomfort was divinely orchestrated so you can use your gifts to the fullest and offer them to others. In this way, we must remember to be thankful for life’s difficulties. They truly are blessings in disguise.