The Turning Point

“A crisis only becomes a breaking point when we fail to use it as a turning point,” wrote Guy Finley recently. His words, words of others, and inspirational and funny videos that began to fill my in-box were responses to a silent request I made the other day when I came face-to-face with an outcome that many might consider a crisis. Email became a cosmic electronic hotline for me that day.

I’ve also learned that it’s an act of courage to reach out to others when we feel weak so that we can find strength. Les Brown taught me that. I did reach out to select others, not to express my woes, but to ask that they remind me about what I know to be the truth of how reality works and what I’m capable of. One friend even quoted a title of one of my articles back to me. Used my own words, not against me, but to fulfill my request. He’s also my life coach, so was able to remind me of a few other things, as well. Even as a life coach, I have my own coach and am I glad of it.

Sometimes, what gets to us is a series of events that seem to pile up. Sometimes, it’s one event. Either scenario can make us feel that we’re going to break open or break apart. That’s why I was especially appreciative of reading Finley’s words that day. I decided to look at how I’d created the outcome and own it. Doing so empowers me to own the solution, as well. What I’m facing can be viewed as a problem or as an impetus to do something that’s needed to be done for quite a while. In its peculiar way, my situation is a signal to turn or aim my life in a direction that is more appropriate for me, as though I can hear the words on the wind, “Your life is calling you.”

It’s somewhat frightening and kind of exhilarating to stand in this place. Like that phrase that refers to leaping and finding you can fly. The encouraging words and love that came from my friends and the cosmic electronic responses, helped me remember how blessed I am in my life. And I realized one of the biggest blessings is that I can recognize this.

I didn’t pop right into “optimistic” mode. There were several hours where I allowed my ego to have an understandable reaction; but, I know staying in an agitated state doesn’t fix anything and is potentially damaging to the body. Einstein’s words came back to me, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” I couldn’t keep doing the same things and expect different results.

Why is it that we sometimes feel compelled to wait to make changes until we have to? I’m one who believes everything has a purpose, so there’s no judgment in that question. I can think of lots of reasons we might do that. But I’m not going to spend a lot of time looking for my reason, I’m going to direct my energy to moving forward.

If you experience a moment, or are in one now, that feels like a breaking point, what might you do to make it your turning point?