Day 168: The Life I Love Began With a Life Quake

When you're in the middle of something cracking your life open, it's difficult to trust that there is something inside that experience that will lead to your expansion, and make you a better human.

When that situation is over and you're sitting in the in-between, no longer engaged in whatever had your attention and focus for so long, it can still be difficult to see what this whole experience was all about.

For many of us, it just feels like the rug was pulled out from under us and something was taken away.

And now there is a hole that can't be filled.

And the biggest question beyond, "How did this happen?", is, "What do I do now?"

It feels like the bus of our old life just dropped you off on a corner in the middle of nowhere with one bag and now you're on your own to figure out where you are and where you go from here.

In that mental, emotional, and physical space, it's hard to focus on anything but your continued survival.

But one tiny shift in perspective can open the door to a whole new world. A better place.

This morning, as I answered the Personal Observation questions of Day 2 in Change One Thing, Change Your Life, I experienced one of those shifts in perception, that changed the way I looked at one of the most painful times in my life.

A time that is more than a decade ago and I am still uncovering gifts from that experience that was one of the lowest points in my life.

I felt like it had taken a lot away from me and it made me very sad to walk away from what that life had been.

And yet I knew I had to leave it behind.

At the time, I couldn't see anything in front of me. Just survival, one foot in front of the other, not knowing where I would end up, just moving forward in faith.

And yes, things got better. I created a whole new life.

And now, this morning, I was given a clearer look at how that life quake led me to exactly where I want to be, here today.

This life, the one I am co-creating today that I love, would never have happened if that old life had not ended.

Am I happy about how it ended and what it put me through, no.

I also understand that I'm the kind of person who when things get difficult, instead of having the sense to realize that if this were meant for me here and now, it wouldn't be this difficult, I put my head down and push harder.

So blowing it up may have been the only way to get my attention.

So when I read the statement for today's lesson, "I totally trust all I experience is created for my expansion", I can see now that what I thought was a devastating ending was also a beginning.

And sometimes the path that gets us where we're going and strengthens us for the greater life that lies ahead takes us through some trying times.

That faith is what got me through every single life quake in my life. I knew that there was something good waiting for me on the other side.

It's not immediate, we have to be ready and grow into it.

It's a journey, and every single one is different.

Some are faster, some are easier, some have felt like I was being pulled forward on a rocket ship I was barely able to hang on to, but what an exciting ride.

This is a quieter shift for me.

I know that this is a turning point in my personal life. Something new is being birthed. I'm not exactly sure what it is, but I'm leaning into it.

And I'm doing another cycle of Change One Thing to give me the clarity I need right now. These 40 days are always so revealing, every time I do it.

Today's Gentle Practice

Think about a difficult season in your life that has already passed.

Not necessarily the hardest one.

Just one that felt painful, confusing, or disruptive at the time.

Then ask yourself:

What did that experience make possible that would not have existed without it?

You don't have to be grateful for what happened.

You don't have to pretend it was easy.

Just look for the unexpected gifts, strengths, relationships, insights, or opportunities that emerged because you walked through it.

Sometimes we only recognize the purpose of a life quake when we're standing far enough away to see the whole landscape.

With you,

Lynn