Written by A close friend once told me that her diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis was the best thing that ever happened to her. Are you kidding me?!? What I eventually realized about her statement was this: When she was faced with a life changing event, she made decisions regarding her life goals. And chose a different path. A path she would never have been on if not for her diagnosis.
When blessings appear in our lives, they can often not seem like blessings. It’s only in hindsight that you can discover how a “bad” thing, can turn out to be a great thing. Recently having had a life changing event of my own, it has given me time. Time to wallow in self pity…I’ve done plenty of that! Time to think about what my life is going to look like moving forward. Time to figure out what I need to do to get to the next chapter in my life. And time to take action to make it happen.
I’ve heard this period referred to as “being in the waiting room”. It’s not an easy place to be. We can all relate to how it feels to be in a waiting room; anxious, afraid, uncomfortable…just to name a few emotions. What you do with your time while your in the waiting room will effect your outcome. Although wallowing in self pity or having fear paralyze you, is allowed for a short time, you can’t get stuck there.
I was happily coasting towards retirement when I wound up in the waiting room this time. What I have discovered is that I no longer want to coast into retirement! I am busily rewriting the next chapter. I’m not sure what the title is going to be, but I can assure you I will not be coasting!
Take advantage of your time when you hit your waiting room. It can turn a bad life event into a blessing. The other option is to get stuck, feel stuck…like you have no options. Create your own options. May your blessings flow.