Your life events are there to propel you forward. Don’t get overwhelmed by them, but simply acknowledge them, says DR PARUL GUPTA
After a long period of change both in my professional and personal life, I realised that I was crisscrossing my way through a gamut of experiences. Sometimes, the changes were positive and would see me on the upswing; at other times, these were negative and I would be on a definite downswing. Sometimes, both sets of circumstances – positive and negative would strike me at the same time. Should I just take things in my stride or was it an indication that I needed to do something? After a great tussle within myself, I concluded that whatever the outcome of certain actions, I had to be thankful for these changes and acknowledge them. The question arose: should I be thankful for the negatives in my life as well? There is a big difference between the two – being thankful and acknowledging something that is positive makes sense but what about the negatives? However, it is only when you acknowledge everything in your life that things work for the better. Our endeavour to make our life better, a step at a time should also be consistent – whether we go through the good or the bad. Sometimes, we are so caught up in our own circumstances that we fail to see any opening in our immediate environment from where even a beam of light and trust can reach us. Is that an indication that we must focus our energies on figuring out an exit from such situations? It is like watching a film in a multiplex. We are so embroiled in the action within that we fail to notice that there are also exit points that have been highlighted all through the two or three-hour long action sequences that we are so glued on. It is only afterwards when the film ends that we notice the paths to the exit points.
Let us remain aware always that these exits are there and all we have to do is to be aware and mindful of them. Therefore, we must remain insightful towards each situation.
Often, we become disheartened from the events in our life. Inconveniences and ups and downs are however essential. And overcoming them is how we become stronger and mature. Challenges in life are different for men and women. Women might confront issues pertaining to family life and children besides issues at work, while men may grapple with a different set of issues. Issues are also dependent on one’s age.
What all of us must really do, is to first, acknowledge any emergency in our life. If we don’t do that or at least acknowledge it, we can’t find an answer and will remain caught in concerns that we can’t ever find an answer to. Sit and pick those issues in your life which need your absolute focus. When we distil wisdom from spiritual texts such as the Shrimad Bhagwat Gita, we will know that there is no such issue on the planet, which doesn’t have an answer.
Also, acknowledgment of an issue doesn’t mean renunciation; it implies an understanding of it and finding the way to negotiate through it.
Acknowledge issues, but find an uplifting way of dealing with them. This might require certain adjustments in your life. Go with the flow rather than attempting to comprehend every phase of life and what it means.
The following extraordinary lines by Ash Alves, a popular essayist and profound holistic mentor really propelled me forwards and I hope her words will do the same for you:
Release the shame and guilt from your past and accept how things have transpired. Your past shortcomings taught you invaluable lessons that can help you become a better person. Use your pain to create your greatest victory.
Dr Parul Gupta holds a Masters in Physiotherapy (orthopaedics) and has ten years’ clinical experience. She believes in self-motivation and is always keen to expand her learning through books, religion and spirituality.
Featured Photo by Cottonbro Studio