The Secret tells us everything happens for a reason, that every unfolding event is closely connected. How often does your mindset follow suit? I mean, do you perceive and accept hardships with optimism and obstacles as ways to work through challenges? Or, are you easily discouraged if your plans fall through and comfortable routine is disrupted?
Consider a man I met 20 years ago who was convinced his destiny was to be a machine operator in a coal mine. He had basic education and learned the trade. When he worked in the field, he mastered a number of skills. After a time, he sensed his work became mundane and he was no longer challenged. He wanted to do other things, but also felt stuck. His financial commitments and own discouraging mindset held him back. He didn’t think he had what it took to do what he really desired. He used his background and history as excuses to explain why he shouldn’t believe in himself.
Then, out of the blue, the mining company shut down and made him redundant. It was a difficult time for my friend. This event threw him for a loop, but he now believes it was the best thing that could ever have happened to him. He was out of a job and he decided to finally pursue the line of work that had long interested him. He dreamed of attending university and becoming a licensed physiotherapist.
Cleary, his new goals represented many kinds of challenges for him–financial, psychological, professional, cultural, hierarchical (in a class-oriented society) and others. Yet, the universe still turned his world upside down in part because this is the path he truly wanted to follow. He wasn’t and still isn’t an especially spiritual person. Yet, he has come to believe that how we think can have an incredibly positive impact on our lives.
Somehow, this man managed to obtain the loans and other funding to work through his dream degree. He developed a ‘can-do’ attitude he hadn’t had before. As the result of hard work and determination, he has since evolved to become the chief physiotherapist in his region. Looking back, he reflects on his life choices and experiences in disbelief. He better understands hidden benefits to developing the skills he did as a coal miner. He considers his sacrifices, recurrent health problems (especially back injuries), and hardships were all preparing him to become a more effective physiotherapist. He empathizes well with his patients and relates personally to many physical plights and processes of recovery. He knows now that each experience he has had was for good reason.
See also http://blog.dreambuilders.com.au
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