When something isn’t going the way I think it should, I try to remember it’s happening for me, not to me.
What’s the lesson this thing is here to teach? How is this helping me grow? How is this situation perfect? It’s another way of asking all those questions, except its statement, not a question. So there’s nothing to figure out.
It’s a statement that helps you turn your current perspective on its head. It instantly takes you from being a victim of circumstance to being the incredibly lucky receiver of a personally designed intervention.
If we believe we need something outside ourselves to be happy, the universe wants to show us we’re wrong. Because as long as we’re attached to any specific outcome or “need”, we’re dependent and stuck. And we’re missing out.
Haven’t you seen this a million times? When someone is a major control freak, for example, they’ll undoubtedly wind up in some predicament that takes away their control. This is perfect. While they’re cursing the universe for allowing their personal worst case scenario to happen to them, it’s really being done for them.
(And I’ve heard many teachers say the predicaments keep coming until we learn the lesson we’re meant to learn. That’s basically what a pattern is—a repeating opportunity to grow).
Or when someone believes they absolutely need money or their partner or their health in order to survive in the world…poof! There go the money, partner and health.
Again, for you, not to you, even when it seems like your worst nightmare has come true. Especially when it seems like your worst nightmare has come true.
Now you get to learn that you don’t need what you thought you needed and you get the opportunity to break your dependence. You get some power back.
When you’re attached, you drive the things you’re attached to away. Detachment is what draws things toward you.
Please don’t let this scare you. We all have things we’d be petrified to live without and that doesn’t mean they will be taken from us. You can realize you don’t need them, despite how much you want them, on your own. The easy way.
You can lessen your dependence and release the attachment yourself, without the universe stepping in. I highly recommend you do this—you’ll be handsomely rewarded with much more of what you want, but aren’t attached to.
But the next time something happens that wasn’t in your plan, flip it around. Instead of asking why it’s happening to you, say a little prayer of thanks that it’s happening for you.
Remind yourself that the universe highlights our attachments so we can do what we need to do to break them. That’s freedom. And it’s an amazing gift.
Related Posts:
Hi, I like this post! But can you talk about HOW to detach yourself from things you’re attached to?
Thanks!
Hi Fatima! I think the best way to detach is to keep reminding yourself that what you think you need, you don’t. Remember that everything is happening for your greatest good in the end, especially when that doesn’t feel true. The more you can practice seeing things in this way and questioning the thoughts that tell you things should be different, the better. Good luck!
This is SO true! Everything happens for a reason, whether it’s growth from an unideal situation or enjoying an unexpected positive experience, it’s really all out of our hands. What we can control, however, is how open and flexible we are on the ride.
There isn’t a “like” or “heart” button but consider this posting Loved!
Thanks, Liz 🙂 “Heart” you back!