Necessary Crisis...

Crisis a natural part of the universe. Some say it creates balance, others say it indicates a lack thereof, I say both. I thrive in crisis. Don't misunderstand. I thrive in crisis which exists outside my own personal life, stress with emotional disconnect. I believe my strengths come to the surface and it brings out the best in me. A part of me even craves it, I enjoy the adrenaline rush, the pressure of urgency, and the satisfaction of resolution.

However, in my own little world, I like to create excitement in less dramatic ways. I abhor crisis and stress in my personal life. That being said, I would have to reflect that after any crisis or period of high stress I find myself in a better place. Crisis gives birth to change. It is the catalyst of the most important discoveries in medicine, advancements in technology, and it possesses the power to have the same positive impact on our own personal lives. You are challenged to operate outside your comfort zone and you discover abilities you never knew you had. You learn of your capability to access courage beyond your normal need. You are forced into decisions your fears have been building cushions of safety around and you find yourself on the other side of that fear, where the view is often much better. We, individually, and our lives as a whole, are often enhanced by crisis.

I believe the key to life is creating balance. To achieve this balance you must stay very connected to your inner self, the universe around you, and the people in your relationships. It is a constant process of adjustment and requires you to listen to subtle indicators, follow your instincts, and stay attuned. Reality is however, that our lives get busy, our minds get busy, and we stop listening. We make decisions based on routines and expectations, we stay in relationships because of convenience and obligation, we mute our inner voice and deafen our ear to the universe. Our lives then start to become out of balance. We may start to notice indicators of our state, subtle at first, we dismiss them as insignificant. The messages get louder and we get more stressed, or more sad, or more resentful. All the while we continue reacting to the effects without determining their cause. Failure to recognize, and more importantly respond to the message of imbalance, the sender of the message becomes more desperate and the message must get louder.... and then it happens... crisis! Whether you get sick, something traumatic happens externally, or one of your primary relationships is impacted, now you're listening. Were you needing rest or needing to prioritize and care for your needs, were you stagnant in your life choices, or were you neglecting a person close to you? Either of those situations is a case of imbalance and requires adjustment.

Here begins the crucial phase however, changing a pattern of behavior that has lead us to this place. Crisis may occur but we must choose to hear that message and learn from it. Crisis forces us to change but only temporarily. The rest is up to us, it is called free will and dignity and it is truly a wonderful and powerful thing. If things are happening in your life that indicate you have not been listening very well to the messages then enter a time of quiet. Listen more skillfully, acknowledge the messages that maybe you don't want to hear and then... adjust change... It is okay to enter that listening phase with equal parts apprehension and anticipation. Remember that you are on the brink of growth and change that will bring you into balance with yourself and the universe.

Learn more about this author, C. Shell.
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