We will at sometime in our lives face the situation where we reach a crossroad and are unsure which road to take. Do we keep going forward, Do we turn back. If we go left or right where will it take us. The one thing we should not do is to stand still and be immobilized.
No matter how long you’ve known that a turning point was coming, staring it in the face takes your breath away. You can no longer ignore the facts: what you’ve been doing up to this point (if anything) isn’t working, it is no longer an option, or it is making matters worse—and you must do something about it now. But what exactly do you do? And how? And when? And where? The answers aren’t exactly staring you in the face; and even when they are it’s not so easy to take heed.
Each person will face his or her individual turning points in life. They won’t all be necessarily bad or good. Maybe you’re at a crossroad in your life right now and you don’t need any examples; but I’ll give a few anyway.
- You get fired or laid off from your job
- You’re offered the promotion of your dreams, but the required travel will cause problems at home
- You’re miserable with the business into which you invested all your time and money
- You’ve lost faith in the religion of your childhood
- You’re facing an unplanned pregnancy
- Someone you depend on leaves or passes away
- You’re afraid of commitment, but the person you love says, “Marry me or lose me.”
- You are required to either lose your job or relocate far away from everything you love
- Your adult child is suffering immensely because of your enabling
- Your only skill-set has become obsolete (or it’s much less in demand)
- Your spouse is ready to file for a divorce
We all dread these types of situations and nobody can tell you (for sure) the right thing to do. But there is something that you definitely do not want to do. That something is… nothing.
If you’re miserable with your career, do something (other than complain) about it. If you’re “trapped” in a broken relationship that’s falling apart, do something. If you receive a bad diagnosis from the doctor, do something about that too. No matter what the situation is, you do not have to just stand there in a daze. Forget about what you cannot do anything about. It doesn’t matter what you could’ve or should’ve done yesterday, last week, last year, or whenever. What matters is right now.
Yes, you may wish the situation wasn’t there. You may wish you had more choices or more time to think about what to do next. You wish you’d known back then what you know now, or that you’d grown up with different parents, or followed your gut instincts. Maybe you just wish your life had a rewind button that you could press at your leisure. But all the wishing in the world can’t change where you are right now. This is your life at the moment. Many things have brought you to this point and many will help you to move past it. Just trust that you have what it takes.
What will you do when you reach a crossroads in your life?
Are you too self-conscious to risk looking stupid, failing, or suffering embarrassment? Too proud to ask for help? Too afraid to take risks or face your fears? Too filled with self-doubt to tap into energy reserves that you didn’t know were there? Do it anyway!
Push yourself to make a move, even if it’s the wrong one. If you make a mistake, embrace the lesson and celebrate yourself for having the courage to learn and to live your life.
Reaching a crossroad in life is never comfortable, but it’s also not the end of the road. It’s a time of uncertainty and challenge, which forces us out to the very edge. It is here that we show what we’re made of. And it is here that we are made anew.
Source: improving-me.com
