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re things not working in your life? Don't be surprised as we are all in this life together. At some time in all of our lives things don't work, we feel stuck, fearful, and have a lack of perspective. We spin our wheels, are down and out, lack energy and find ourselves completely confused, even to the point of feeling pain. There would be a better understanding if we had been taught when growing up, that life is messy and things don't always work out the way we planned. But then you say, "Thom, quit telling me about my problems and share with me the solutions!" First, realize the feelings of being stuck, fearful and whatever else I mentioned above, are not the problem. These are feelings that come from the problem; they are byproducts. The problem is you have planned your life the way you want it. However, the way you want it is not how it is turning out to be. In spite of what people say, when you ask them how they are doing, not everyone is "living the dream." Life is lived as it is. We get stuck because we make plans and when the plan does not happen, we push forward determined to overcome all the odds even if it is not meant to be. A famous song by John Lennon says, "Life is what happens while you are busy planning a life that is not happening." Note, I paraphrased it a little, but you get the point.
The point is, you are missing your real life while you are planning a life that may not come to fruition. If you are a believer, there are great things that Divine Intent has planned for your life; there is a greater path for you than you will ever plan for yourself. Listen to the prophet: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9) Unfortunately, because we spend so much time trying to create things we are not supposed to accomplish, we never discover what we are really meant to accomplish. I refer to our created things as 'possibilities' and what we are meant to be doing as 'opportunities'.
So what should you do when things don't work, when you feel stuck, or become fearful? Step back and take a look at what you are doing! Ask yourself a few questions: Am I being distracted with possibilities or embracing opportunities? Is what I am doing taking all my energy or am I getting energy from my activity? Is there connectivity in my life or is everything disconnected? A great piece of advice I received was to let my life lead me on a road to discovery rather than trying to lead my life into nowhere. All of our lives are based on a "meant to be." (MTB) Figure out how to play the hand you are dealt, for any hand can be played out for the good.
When I say to take a step back I am not talking about stopping the action. Do not stop what you are doing that is not working. Do not move to reflection, rather move to observation. Observation is reflection of your actions. What are you learning as you observe yourself stuck?
