by Christine Sandor

Created on: August 04, 2010

When problems creep up, trauma happens or you find yourself facing what feels as if it will be an impossible situation, you can choose to look at the issue as devastating or you can see it as a blessing. While in the midst of a difficult time, it is not easy to find the positive side, but there are a few simple steps you can take to refocus and rethink the circumstances.

Step 1: Breathe!

When problems come up we often go to our fight or flight response. It is natural to want to run from the issue or fight it out. Neither choice is very helpful and can occasionally create a bigger problem.  Before running or taking any action at all, take time to step back from the situation and just breathe. This gives you time to look clearly at the circumstance and determine what the next best move should be.

Step 2: Make a plan

Once you have stepped back and have taken a few deep breaths it is easier to look again at the situation with new eyes. You are able to think more clearly about the steps that need to be taken to solve the problem. Even if you recognize that you are perhaps not in a position to deal with the issue, you can think about who you might be able to call in for assistance.

Step 3: See the blessing

Everything happens for a reason. Often “problems” are blessings in disguise, showing up in your life to bring you to a new realization. There are times when the Cosmic 2x4 swings into action when it is time for us to awaken to a new understanding.  As you step away from the situation it may become clear why this problem is in your world. If the blessing is not immediately clear it is more than acceptable to ask the God of your being to reveal the blessing in a difficult situation.

Step 4: Shift your thinking

As you begin to act on the problem at hand, you will begin to see the opportunities presenting themselves. It may be as simple as bringing you into contact with someone you may not have ever met or it may be a valuable life lesson that can be used again at another place and time. As you shift your thinking about the problem and begin to know it as an opportunity for growth you will find your thinking about other areas of your life also shifting to a more positive point of view.

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