There comes a time when we are stretch to our limits and change is upon us. Sometimes this change comes out of the blue and throws us off balance. This can happen in our career, our personal relationships, financial displacement, or a world event beyond our control. It may feel very uncomfortable to be unprepared and it can shake our confidence, our financial standing and our self-esteem. This is when we can experience, what I call a breakdown; it feels like we are being tested and unresolved issues resurface, triggering us into unknown territory. The breakdown can be a turning point in which the opportunity to break-away from disempowering ideas about ourselves, toxic relationships, and unsustainable situations. All sudden we may be forced to make decisions that will affect areas that are important and can affect the trajectory of our lives. Whether it comes in as a job loss, a divorce, an unexpected move, an illness or simply a family crisis, we can experience a breakdown or breakthrough.
It is in times like this that you can take control of your life and set up the breakthrough needed to move you forward in a positive way. This is when having the right support can make a difference, because during these times we are challenged beyond our own perceived limitations. These periods can feel chaotic, unmanageable, and overwhelming and suddenly we may be at a loss on which way to go.
We may need to act quickly and decisively because of the pressure that it can bring upon us, especially when it impacts other areas of our lives. During this time, we need to find perspective and gather new information that can help us see the bigger picture and find unseen options. We may have to handle the emotional overload that these times bring or how it may trigger unresolved issues from our past.
You may have already experienced a breakdown and in retrospect it may have been a blessing in disguise, but it does not matter if we experience it before, what matters is to move forward and have a gain “Breakthrough” that gets you to a much better place than you ever planned. The breakthrough is simply a way to move quickly out of a bad situation and turn it into gold! A substantial gain and breaking patterns of limitation and emotional angst. As an example, I would like to share a breakdown from my life. I was fired once from a job without notice and it left me perplex and caught off guard, I was upset I didn’t see it coming. Within a week, I had a new job that doubled my salary and benefited my career path! I had been working with a coach that helped me turn around things quickly. I was able to change my perception of the situation, and what I needed to do and took action. I focused immediately on finding a new job rather than lamenting on how unfair this had been and taking this employer to court. Instead, I was asked, what do you really want in your career? My answer was, find a position in which I would be paid double, to be appreciated and could advance in my career. Bam! It happened so quickly. I would have never dreamed this would happen, but the breakdown turned into a life changing opportunity that accelerated my confidence and eliminated my limiting thinking, that I could actually earn six figures.
It takes the right support with the right person or program that will help you not only rebound but come out ahead. It may not happen overnight but when you have the right person in your corner it makes a big difference. That right person, program and support can come in many forms; your friendships, a mentor, your partner, or someone that believes in you and even a coach you hire. What is important here, is to understand that although a breakdown is not easy and not what we want to motivate us to release self-defeating patterns, feelings of overwhelm and hidden fears. If at all possible, we want to navigate change with as much choice as possible and have tools that can help us when unexpected change comes knocking on our door.
Breakthroughs are glorious moments in which we are reminded that we have all we need in this journey, but there are times, we must empty the baggage we carry that limits us, unresolved wounds that don’t serve us and let go of relationships and dynamics that we have outgrown. To experience a breakdown is not an easy event and to live through it, can become a catalyze for transformation. These periods can help us become masters of our destiny, because we find out how amazing we are, that there are unforgotten dreams in us, and that what others do, have little or nothing to do with us. When we lose our attachment to how life should be, we limit our options and experience. A breakdown can provide us with that breakthrough we need to uncover unknown talents, strengths, and determination to move us to higher ground.
Don’t fear a breakdown, see it as a way out of a situation or dynamic that no longer serves your life and stifles your growth. Instead see how you are gaining inner strength, confidence and reassess your values to match what you want to create in your life. Along the way you are acquiring valuable insight, undergoing healing, and learning from your life experience. You are not only learning to rebound in the face of any challenge but gaining true insight about what is important in your life.
Here are some tips that can help you navigate a breakdown:
Shift your perception that this can become a gain.
Realize this is temporary and part of change, and you will get through this even if you don’t know how, yet.
Cut out anything that disrupts your focus and eliminate anything that drains you.
Make time for self-reflection, by journaling, talking it out with someone that you can trust
Don’t dwell on the past and limit how much time you spend talking about the challenge, instead talk about what you deeply desire
Allow yourself time to rest, reflect and relax as this will help you stabilize and regain your energy.
Seek a professional that can helps you focus on a plan to move you ahead from this challenge
Never quit and know that this too shall pass and that this challenge is but a steppingstone towards your betterment, that in the future can become part of your success story.
