Turning shit into manure

Image: cueljs

Shit happens. And whenever life goes off the rails, whenever we find a discrepancy between reality and our model of how life should be, we want to force things back on track.

Life is filled with unpredictable and unfortunate events.
A job loss, a breakup or divorce, a disabled child, an illness, a narcissistic parent, mishaps and accidents, the death of a loved one, a miscarriage – these are all hardships that we would prefer not to experience if we had a choice.

Slow down, and take a closer look.

You’ve likely heard the saying, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” implying making the best of what you have. However, “Turn shit into manure” suggests something else. It means that whatever challenges life throws at us can be transformed into fertilizer, helping us grow.

 

I once worked at an e-company for communications. Back then I thought it was a perfect fit for my background. However, things got messy when they tried switching content management systems, leading to missed deadlines and relentless berating from clients.

The stress showed up as severe tendonitis in both my wrists, making work impossible. It was a dark time as I was stuck at home, unable to do simple tasks that required the use of my hands due to the pain.

During this time of physical and emotional struggle, coerced to pause, I realized the corporate world didn’t match my true passions and values. I’d sacrificed authenticity for the illusion of security and societal approval, betraying the dreams of my younger self who wanted to wake people up.
I chose to resign, leaving behind the need to conform. Embracing uncertainty, I set out to discover my own path.

Whatever we encounter can grant us permission to break away from our preconceptions and the old, although familiar but often painful ways of doing things and change course.

These moments are crossroads. They compel or invite us to pause. They say, “Slow down, and take a closer look.”
We can allow them to act as the force capable of breaking our rigid concepts and well-laid plans, ultimately setting us free from our automatic behavior.

Are you at a crossroads now?

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