How to turn crisis and challenges into opportunity

No one is immune to the trials and tribulations that come with the human life experience. We are all, at some point in our lives, met by some challenges or crisis. Is it not it easy to desire that these less than pleasant circumstances no longer exist? It seems that we have grown to idealise a romantic notion that life should be all roses and sunshine, and if it is not so there has to be something wrong with ourselves, the circumstance or people around us. In a desperate attempt to attain this romantic fallacy we subscribe to all sorts of “fix-my-life” mythologies, belief systems, self-help techniques and/or institutions in pursuit for “salvation”. However, despite our best efforts to out-run crisis or challenges, life happens right? Could it be that crisis is an essential part of the human evolution process? Is it possible that it is through challenges that we learn, grow and improve?

There has been a lot of hype around positive thinking and the “salvation” it promises. The idea is that positivity will serve as the magic pill that will transform your circumstances for the better. Needless to say this fallacy has been adopted by millions who have read or seen titles such as “The Secret”. Now I’m not against positive thinking, however here is my opinion on the matter; Positive thinking is not expecting the best, positive thinking is accepting that what is happening is the best. Conventional wisdom would suggest that at any moment when things are not going as they should we are doing something wrong.. Ever wondered why bad things happen to good people? Well that is because, both bad and good things will happen for you, regardless of your character. Please note my intention is not to bash optimism, but to redefine it and help make it practical in challenging or less than ideal circumstances. It is very easy to keep a cool head when things are going well, however it is during the inevitable crisis and challenge situations that practical optimism serves its intended purpose.

Life serves us each of us both support and challenge for the sake of our own growth and advancement. However, it’s usually during tough times that we often lose faith in divine intelligence and begin to label our experiences as good or bad. I want to offer a different vantage point in this regard and I will propose a slightly eccentric approach. What if I put it to you that the challenges or crises are the necessary resources for advancement? Think of a time you have been through the worst circumstances and you successfully overcame them. What did you learn form that? Did you not learn more about yourself and your capacity to be resourceful? Did those situations not teach you some invaluable lessons and are you now not wiser as a result? Now in retrospect almost everyone would have a story that coincides with this principle. So this is not something new to you, however when you can identify those lessons as gifts in the midst of this proverbial hell you are able to leverage these God-given tools for personal growth and advancement. This principle and its applications are inadvertently advocated and endorsed by the scientific community, as Chaos Theorists would suggest that all life systems, be it a business, your health, a relationship etc. have to go through an extreme period of disorder or critical breaking point in order to transmute and function at a higher quantum. If the system falls short of this, it dies and makes way for a stronger and more adapt entity that can stand through this transmutation phase without caving. Natural selection is also an applicable theory; if an entity lacks the capacity to withstand natural elements it must transmute and make way for growth and evolution. All elements in nature are pro-growth, even if decay and destruction are utilised as means to that end. Do you get the metaphor? Crises, deconstruction, challenges, loss, pain etc. are an inevitable part of life and we all, at one point or another have and will be met by these “unpleasant” situations on our pathway to growth. So do not resist the invaluable lessons and gifts these circumstances have to offer; accept them, take responsibility, find the opportunity, and make new and improved decisions going forward.

In addition, this “growth through adversity” principal is what will propel you towards growth during difficult moments. Ultimately it should not matter whether it rains or shines, your state of mind and life quality must remain radiant. . I will be the first to admit that this is easier said than done, however your capacity to utilise crises and find opportunity in challenges will only get better with practice. Like every tool is only beneficial when used; so make use of the things that happens for you regardless of it being perceived as “good” or “bad”. Value judgments are futile, it is all an opportunity for growth. Ultimately we all have to decide whether we are going to fold or move forward in faith and courage.