What is your first reaction when something goes wrong? Is it to panic, get stressed, desperately seek a way to change the circumstance, or maybe to just crumble under the pressure? It’s natural to feel overwhelmed in the face of challenge. It can seem that things are beyond our control and that can make us feel helpless.
Feeling helpless really means that we have given up because we think no matter what we do, it won’t make a difference. There are many things beyond our control, like our eye color for instance, but there is a vast area of our life that we can control. How we deal with other people and react to situations as they arise are within our control.
Here are 3 ways to take back your power in the face of challenge:
1. Trust there is always a solution, but it might not look like what you expect.The wisdom of Kabbalah teaches that everything we need is almost always in front of us, but our eyes are blind to seeing it. The purpose of our spiritual work is to open our eyes to the solutions in front of us.
When you face a challenge, the first thing to know is that there is a solution; you just need to be open to finding the answers. Sometimes we think challenges are meant for us to fix or change when really the answer is for us to grow from the experience, embrace it, and ultimately find more fulfillment as a result of it. For instance, if you are in a relationship that is falling apart, your first instinct might be to ask, “How do I save this relationship?” Sometimes, however, the real answer may be that breaking up, moving on, and using the experience to grow and eventually find your true soulmate is the best course of action. The solution is not always clear in the moment, but it is always there.
Have faith that there is a solution to whatever challenge you are facing, even if you don’t know what that answer looks like just yet. Be open to it. Tell yourself, “I am not helpless. I am not overwhelmed. I don’t know how yet, but there is a solution.” Remind yourself that you are never truly helpless.
2. Take small steps to change the situation a little bit at a time. It’s hard to trust that there’s a solution when we don’t see a clear path for us to take. However, if we shift our focus to improving the situation just a little bit at a time, there is always something that can be done, some step we can take towards overcoming a challenge.
We tend to have an all-or-nothing mentality when it comes to problems - if we can’t find a way to change everythingabout our situation, we think there is absolutely nothing that can be done. This can prevent us from taking any actions whatsoever. By staying frozen, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Without taking any actions, things don’t change, and the situation never improves. If you believe you have no free will or no ability to change your circumstance, view, or perspective of life, then that’s exactly what you’re going to manifest.
While it may true that there is no easy fix to completely change a situation, if you can take a small step to move the needle just a little bit and then take another step and then another, the cumulative effect of all those small actions will eventually create big change. You have to take the first step so that you can eventually take the tenth step.
Change your mindset from, “How can I change everything about this situation?” to “What action can I take to make part of this situation a little better?”
3. Have certainty that nothing is impossible with the Creator’s help.The great paradox about helplessness is that, on some level, we arehelpless. If you have a cavity and don’t happen to be a dentist, you have no way to fix it on your own. However, if you open yourself to finding and trusting a dentist, the problem can be easily solved. On the other hand, if you believe there is no dentist in the world who is qualified or trustworthy enough to fix your cavity, then you allow yourself to succumb to helplessness.
We are not meant to live alone without other people. When we open ourselves up to people, they lift us up and vice versa. When we cultivate friendships, communities, and family, then we are not helpless because we have a support system. Taking it a step further, the Creator is also there to help us if we open ourselves up to that energy. We often feel overwhelmed or helpless, but the reality is that we are each in constant contact with the Creator. Everything changes when we understand that we are never alone. You may not be able to overcome a situation on your own, but you and the force that created this Universe together can change anything!
Surrender to the Creator. Trust and have certainty that together, you can be co-creators in this world.
It’s a life’s work to train ourselves to not give up when challenges arise. But if we work on them all the time, it does get easier. Practice on the smaller things that come up as a way to prepare for life’s bigger hurdles. Knowing that there is always a way forward, taking small steps, and having certainty in the Creator means that you are never helpless. Maybe things can’t always be perfect, but you have the power to always make things better!
