Most humans try to avoid discomfort, especially the kind that leads to trouble in their relationships, work, health, and general well-being. We seek calm and tranquility and rarely see the value in upheaval, discord, loss, calamity, stress, ill health, lack of money, loss of job, and failed relationships. However, it is in these negative circumstances that the greatest opportunities for growth and success lurk...if only we would stop, look, and listen.
We become so busy trying to win the battle that we lose sight of the big picture and lose the war. Storm Thoughts are the key. They are the hidden meaning in the discord that assaults our lives from time to time. The lessons of life come not from the calm successful times but rather from those trying times that require us to rise above our circumstances and find the brass ring just out of our grasp - if we chose to do so. And, it is always our choice.
We might try to frame the turbulence in our life by embracing it as an opportunity to find the change that leads to success. The key is knowing that the answer is there, covered in fear. My friend, Howard Parsons, constantly reminds us to take a few minutes each day to meditate. What he means by this is that it is important to use the opportunities presented to us to find our path to peace and joy, however, we define these. It is in the chaos of life that shows up as trouble of some sort, that we find the possibilities available for positive change.
Regardless of whether we are striving for a more fulfilling relationship, a work promotion, fiscal success, better health, the next sentence in our book, or a new sale, the path is found during the stormy nights by stopping for a few moments to look for the light. Stormy nights exist in all levels of life not just our personal ones. For instance, we are constantly surrounded by media storms that embrace the chaos of political and financial life on a local, national and worldwide basis. We get caught up in the blame game as politics moves from one disaster to another. Storms are the message bearers if we use them to take time to stop and let go of the pettiness and concentrate on the possibilities. Out of great conflict (personal or otherwise) comes great possibility. Embrace yours.
