Message in the Mess
You know those days.
Unruly and ugly hair, morning coffee spilled all over your new shirt during the first meeting of the day, misunderstanding turned into an argument with a family member, another boring team meeting with no energy, and a broken dishwasher to boot.
When unplanned and unpleasant things happen to us, it is human nature to feel victimized and alone. We want to crawl up into a ball and cry, or stand and shout (pick your preference) “What the heck? Why me? Can’t someone just be on my side for once?”
Here is the thing folks: Someone, call it whatever rings most true for you, God, the Universe, The Source, Luck, is on your side. The quickest way to become aware of its presence is to change one word in the question you ask yourself when facing a challenge.
Instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me?” Ask yourself, “Why is this happening for me?”
This small swap of words can immediately let in some light and transfers the power back to you. Being curious about what is meant for us can bring clarity and hope to a hot mess of a day.
Let’s try this new lens on some of the daily disasters mentioned earlier:
Why is spilled coffee during a morning meeting happening for me? Perhaps I need to slow down, stop multitasking and master being in the moment. Maybe it’s time for a small pivot in my morning routine to allow five minutes of savoring coffee, before entering into the frenzy of the day.
Why is another boring zoom happening for me? I wonder if it’s finally time for me to stop complaining and start doing something to make a difference in these meetings. I have a lot of ideas that I have been too lazy or afraid to share. Perhaps now is the time.
Why is a broken dishwasher happening for me? Maybe to give me quality time hand washing and drying dishes right next to the very family member I argued with this morning to clear the air.
You can train yourself to see opportunities through challenges. When you filter experiences as a gift or message sent for your interpretation, it can bring levity, peace and even some humor inside difficult times.
Matty is a work in progress on picking up messages in her own mess. She has been known to write off entire days due to selecting an uncomfortable pair of pants. If you want to talk about your “to” by “for” stories, Matty is all ears.
