Give yourself time to make sense of what has happened to move forward purposefully.

Do you remember the last time when something significant happened in your life that has shaken your world? An opportunity life gave you to re-evaluate your life and perhaps choose a different path?

So, how did you react when you found yourself at such a crossroads?

Did you immediately jump into action, or did you intentionally pause to reflect on what had happened and determined the best course of action moving forward?

Looking back on my own experiences, I would often jump into action, eager to confront any challenges head-on. I rarely looked at the situation from a holistic point of view. By that, I mean I failed to ask myself important questions such as:

• Is there a hidden lesson to be learned from this experience, and if so, what might it be?
• What do I truly desire in this particular area of my life?
• What is my usual course of action and is there anything I can or want to do differently?

I believe we tend to stick to familiar patterns because they provide us with a sense of comfort, and we have been conditioned to follow certain paths due to the expectations of our family, friends or society.

However, there is immense value in allowing the dust to settle, reflecting on what has happened, and moving forward purposefully.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I understand that we do not always have a gift of time. Sometimes we have to put up a fire quickly. If you lost a job but you have financial obligations, you would need to take immediate action to secure the next opportunity. Nevertheless, whatever happened to you can still be a blessing in disguise. Life might be giving you an opportunity to realise what it is that you truly want in life. Perhaps it might not be the right time for you to take action on it but it might be a prompt to start planning for what you truly want.

Let’s go back to the example of losing a job. Perhaps this event made you realise that you aren’t happy in your current career and want to transition into something more fulfilling. Pivoting a career takes time, therefore you can still find a job in your current field while taking action towards your new career path: enrol in a relevant course or pursue a bachelor’s degree. This approach gives you an opportunity for a smoother transition without being stressed that you need to start an entirely new career in a month’s time.

Significant events in your life are always a great opportunity to stop for a moment and reflect. They offer a unique chance to recalibrate or even redesign ourselves or our life. I truly believe that these occurrences happen for a reason.

As mentioned earlier, you might not be able to take action toward the new life right away. However, you can gain invaluable insights during these moments that can put you on the trajectory towards your desired life.

Discover the hidden opportunities within the situation, consider what are the different avenues of managing the situation and choose the path that aligns with your soul.

Perhaps this is the hidden blessing we all receive: our personal evolution. Evolution from taking action prematurely to recognizing that moving forward purposefully it’s the best approach to creating the best life for yourself.