In a world that glorifies the life of celebrities and online gurus and implies to people that it is necessary to be happy and have little to no problems, it is typical for people who are in times of crisis feel personally conflicted. When adversity comes to us, we often feel that we need to fix it quickly, or that something is wrong with us. It is typical for people who are experiencing emotional pain to seek immediate solutions to this problem that might not be what they need at the time. People might also dwell in self-pity or anger at the world. The thing is, turning to these temporary solutions may not be what is best for us, or what we need at the time. There is a greater way to deal with our pain.
All life is full of suffering and loss, but what we make of the suffering is what ultimately defines who we are. Through our struggles, we can discover new things about ourselves and ultimately grow on an emotional, physical or spiritual level. In Marianne Williamson's book, "Tears to Triumph", she states that the quality of the predicament we are in is not defined by the situation, but by how we see it and ultimately deal with it. By altering our perspective on our problem, we can deal with it in a more suitable way.
By looking at our pain, we can look inwards and ask ourselves what it really means. Have you been trying to too hard to please others to the point where you lose a sense of self? Have you been working too hard and need a break? Maybe the suffering you are experiencing is a sign from the universe that you need to make a change in your life. Or maybe, it is just something that makes you have greater appreciation for what you have.
Looking inwards has very satisfying way to see difficult situations for me. One of the most crucial times I did this was when I was in a deep depression for many years. I felt very bad about myself, and I was experiencing confusion and loneliness in my mind that I could not communicate with others. It was only after years that I finally realized that I needed to make a major change. I started meditating every day. I trained by mind to be more focused, and to realize that not everything that I was thinking was true or real. I started loving and accepting myself and others more and ultimately became happier and more emotionally fulfilled. This would not have happened if I had not looked inward into depths of my pain and realized that a major change needed to be made, and I can honestly say that I am incredibly blessed to be where I’m at today.
I do understand that this is not always the best way to look at the problem, and that it can have limitations. Therefore, in times of crisis, it is important for the individual to evaluate their needs to see what is suitable for you at the time.
When we do look inwards it is important that we strive to remain honest with ourselves. By doing this, we can limit the possibility of our minds distorting reality to fit our personal desires that might not be what is really needed for us at the time. We must look at the bigger picture of our problems, try to understand it as best we can, and learn what we can from it, not to prevent it from ever happening again, but to use it as an opportunity for growth or change. Doing this can be extremely fulfilling and rewarding long term.