Every time we face a crisis in our lives, we might benefit from looking at the opportunity that the crisis presents. In our quest for spiritual and psychological growth, life continues to present us with dramas and crises that are disquieting and at times downright painful. If we react to the crisis in a manner that's familiar and habitual, it's likely that these perturbations will continue in our lives. The universe will continue to manifest these crises until we learn to address them differently. In other words, we need to ask what opportunity the crisis is presenting.

Look at the recurring struggles and problematic themes in your life. They are there for a reason. Ironically, they are not the problem, but merely the symptom. Think of them as a guidepost to self-reflect as to why you are unconsciously creating them. Whether your crises are financial, relationship, health, etc., you are in some manner scripting them into your life. For example, if you find yourself in recurring abusive relationships, the problem lies not in your partners, but in your choosing of them in the first place. The opportunity is to be found in taking your own responsibility and choosing differently. Every crisis offers an opportunity. A poignant loss often implies a potential gain. You may not see it at the moment but it is there. Even death offers the opportunity to move into a richer our appreciation of life.

The dynamic between the struggle of the crisis and the potential of growth that it affords presents the opportunity to break through old impediments. It is the opportunity to recreate yourself as you learn and grow. “I'm not the same person I used to be,” might be taken quite literally. We need to welcome shifts in our thinking and in our lives. As a sculptor constantly reshapes an emerging piece of art, we must do the same with our lives. Every crisis creates a new opportunity for crafting ourselves to the best that we can. With a shift of perception we can come to see that the crisis is really an opportunity. It is an opportunity to move forward toward greater self-actualization. Instead of resisting the crisis ask yourself why it's appearing and what you need to learn from it. The crisis is truly our opportunity for emergence cloaked in disguise.

Turning Crisis into Opportunity

© 2008 by Mel Schwartz. All rights reserved.