Challenges are a part of the human experience. Our natural instinct is to avoid them as much as possible or to get through them as quickly as we can, but obstacles are an essential part of our spiritual journey. Not only can they inspire us to rethink our decisions and actions, they help us grow and can even lead us to new, better ways of living! Transforming our obstacles into opportunities starts with our consciousness.
Here are 4 steps to reframe your challenges and transform them into blessings:
1. Attempt to look at the situation as neither good nor bad.
When we experience a shakeup in our lives, it’s easy to label it as either “good” or “bad.” We might think getting a big promotion is “good” and going through a messy breakup is “bad.” The truth is we can’t predict how these events will affect us or the ripple effect they may cause. The big promotion could lead to feeling overworked, stressed, and burned out, while the messy breakup could lead to meeting your soulmate.
The first step in reframing a challenge is to look at it objectively without labeling it as positive or negative. This allows you to better assess how to learn and grow from it, how to use it to fuel your future success, and most of all, how to find the hidden blessing within.
2. Consider how this could be a gateway to something great.
Think about some of the challenges from your past. Is there one that you can point to that seemed like a negative experience at the time but ended up being a blessing in disguise? Maybe being let go from your job led you to a position at an even better company, or a painful experience inspired you to seek a spiritual path. It’s much easier to see this in hindsight, but the key is to try and have this consciousness while going through the hardship.
The wisdom of Kabbalah teaches that there are numerous spiritual reasons for everything we experience, and even if it doesn’t feel like it in the moment, ultimately, every challenge is for the benefit of our souls. We don’t always see the bigger picture, and part of deriving the blessing from the challenge is embracing that we don’t know. What seems like bad luck today could become tomorrow’s good fortune. Anything can change in an instant.
Have certainty that there are many reasons for what you are experiencing and that it is leading you to something better.
3. Ask yourself, “Why is this in my movie and how can I grow from it?”
Our challenges are meant to inspire us to grow. Without them, we’d likely just live the same way every day, never evolving or striving to better ourselves. They can force us to face hard truths about ourselves and to reevaluate our words, thoughts, and actions. They show us where we need to grow or what we need to pay closer attention to.
It’s easy to feel like a victim when negative things happen to us. Try turning the challenge on its head by asking yourself how you can use it to become an even better version of yourself. Allow yourself the space to feel the upset that a challenge may bring, but then shift your focus to finding the opportunity for future growth. Just like in a movie where every obstacle and turning point requires the hero to make difficult choices, learn, and grow, our challenges can propel us to our next spiritual level.
4. Ask the Light for help.
We often overlook that the Light is always available and there to help us through our challenges. Often, we are so used to manipulating and controlling our lives so that we can feel like the driving force that we forget there is a higher power we can call upon for help.
When faced with a challenge, take time to connect to the Creator. Whether this is through mediation, spiritual study, or prayer, asking the Light for help is one of the most powerful ways to bring the Light to bear upon the darkness.
We can’t completely avoid hardship, nor are we meant to! We can, however, change the way we view and process challenges. We have the choice to view them as a necessary part of our journey, filled with blessings and opportunities for transformation. The next time you are faced with a difficult situation, take a step back. Instead of seeing it as a “bad” thing, consider how it might be beneficial or useful to you and invite the Light of the Creator to assist you.
