Look for the learning. Always.

Anyone else love Eat Pray Love? It’s one of my top 5 fave flicks. 🎬

Food, spirituality and love. Italy, India and Bali. Pretty much sounds like heaven to me. 🎆

There are so many learnings every time I watch it. One of them is this quote: “Ruin is the road to transformation”

Ruin sounds pretty drastic. Well, sometimes life does feel like it’s in ruins and everything has gone to shit.

💩 You’ve lost your job or you wake up not wanting to go to work
💩 Your boss is a bully
💩 Friendships are not what they used to be
💩 Your bank account is in the negative
💩 You’re dealing with poor health
💩 Family relationships are strained

It could be all of these and more, or just one or two of them that you’re dealing with. We all interpret and are affected by difficult situations differently.

We also get to choose how we respond to such adversity. Initially, you may feel anger, sick in the pit of your stomach, you may cry and want to stay in bed all day. I’ve personally tried and tested them all. 🙄

Over time, I’ve done a lot of soul searching (and therapy), and learned from personal development leaders. Now I choose the way I look at everything. Sure I let myself feel whatever I feel, I have a whinge occasionally to my friends, but mostly, I look for the learning. What is this situation trying to tell me? And how can I use it to be better, to set an example, and not judge or remain angry, but rather always look at myself first and explore if I could have done something differently.

This shift in approach completely changes my emotions and reactions to a situation. Often, I feel grateful that the ‘ruin’ has come my way as I get stronger, more confident and educated with each day that passes.

In my experience, a challenging situation nearly always leads to transformation with one door closing, and another opening.

It’s up to you if you want to open that door.