Getting Through The Hard Times

by Shaun on September 11, 2011

Life is a flowing current – like a stream. Sometimes it flows calm and smooth, and you barely notice it is going by, offering times of joy, happiness, free of issues or difficulties. The view is nice, temperature just right, the flow is slow, smooth, and comfortable. It can seem like heaven. Other times, the rapids are fast and furious and can toss you around like a rag doll bringing you pain, misery, and leaving you struggling to gasp for air.

We are always moving down the stream of life. And in truth, we have no other choice about it. There’s no way we can’t go with this flow. But what we do have is a choice about how we handle going down this stream. Life itself is change – continuous change. In fact, the only constant thing in life itself is change. The ever ongoing exchange of give and take, offer and receive, death and life, summed up perfectly with one word and concept: Love. Which, I guess means you could say that life itself, is Love. But regarding this natural flow of life, there is so much time, money, energy, emotion, and overall life invested in trying to go against this natural flow of life. It’s almost like working to do the impossible because really, it IS impossible. You can give it everything you have to keep yourself upright, struggling to be swept away by the current to be tossed and turned and destroyed by the rocks, maybe even go down a waterfall or two. You can put forth a massive battle against these rough waters, only to eventually look around and notice that you haven’t moved anywhere. You’ve simply maintained your current state.

Do you ever feel that way? That you are working so hard, struggling so much, and suffering so greatly only to realize you haven’t moved anywhere at all? Perhaps your efforts have been directed towards moving backwards, in attempt to return to the state when things were “good”, “calm”, and “happy”? Or simply your efforts were put towards NOT allowing yourself to go through the rough waters which seem to be ahead? But what kind of life is that? Using every part of your energy and life on staying idle? Why would you want to go backwards anyway?

Here’s a tip for you: Your past is not your life. Your life is not your past. And those jagged rocks and rough waters ahead might be the best thing for you and your life.

Here’s a journal entry I recently wrote while going through a very challenging part of my life.

“Sometimes I think I need to stop trying to swim against this raging river, and just let myself flow down, get tumbled and tossed around, probably get banged up on a few rocks.. maybe go down a waterfall or two. But all rivers eventually settle somewhere. If anything, it’ll eventually slow down enough for me to jump out. By the time I reach those calm waters, I’ll have nothing but gratitude. Because I’ll get out and look around and realize I’ve been carried to something beautiful. A paradise.

My new plan of action: Surrender.”

Some of you may detest the idea of surrendering or giving up your power or control. But the truth is, surrendering isn’t giving up your power – it’s utilizing it. Going with the flow isn’t giving up control, it’s embracing it. And you’re not really living until you allow yourself to let go of every moment and attachment to life you knew before this current moment.

Allow yourself to do one thing in life: Let go.

Let go of your drama’s.

Let go of your worries.

Let go of your fears.

Let go of your struggles.

Let go of your expectations.

And most of all, let go of your past!

Let yourself flow down this stream of life and trust that you will be taken care of, because you will. Life can sure bring a lot of storms – but it’s you that assigns them the role of being a “disaster”. Nature carries no judgment at all, and simply sees those storms as part of the natural flow of things, or even “necessary” for life itself to continue. You should carry the same outlook. Don’t place judgment on the storms and tough waves in your life. See them as necessary, and beautiful, and be grateful for them. All things are temporary in life, and that goes for what you call good and bad things. Everything that composes must decompose. Everything that begins, will end. Everything that is born, will die. We see it endlessly as a natural law in nature, and it remains true for ourselves. Big storms with raging winds come through, but then they subside. Heavy rains fall, but then they stop. Complete forests burn to the ground entirely, leaving hardly anything remaining – yet the unnamed force behind it all finds a way to replenish that forest naturally, bringing forth new life to take it’s turn on the table of time. Nature takes it’s course and flows in a way that is simply beautiful when you take a step back and look at the entire perspective.

Are you and I not a part of nature? Of course we are! Don’t you think we are subject to the same natural flow? Those hard times you experience, they will pass. Just as the storm in nature comes with it’s fury, then passes on to reveal blue skies, sunshine, blooming plants, and fresh new life – all made possible because of the storm. Those moments when you feel you can’t hold on any longer – they will pass. The crashing waves, rising tides, and sense of being tossed around endlessly in a chaotic disaster of emotion, stress, and hopelessness – it will pass. And each time those storms pass, you’ll be left with so much more knowledge, experience, truth, and life!

But you have to allow it to! Stop trying to go against the current. Stop trying to maintain your current position, or even backtrack to a time when things were calm and comfortable. That is wasted energy, wasted time, and wasted life. Allow yourself to flow through the hard times with a heart full of gratitude, knowing that those hard times are only temporary and in fact necessary for your happiness, and the calm waters and paradise settings are waiting ahead of you – they always are.

Learn to trust that everything will be alright. Learn to trust that everything you need and want is being brought to you and that maybe these hard times you’re going through is the process of how you are being offered something more beautiful. But are you open to receiving it? Are you allowing it to flow into your life? Learn to see that everything you need for happiness in your every day life right now has already been given to you. Learn to look at the current storms in your life with a heart full of gratitude, because you know that they are necessary as part of the natural flow that is bringing you something more beautiful and wonderful. Carry that gratitude with you all day as you deal with the events going on in your life. Surrender yourself, and allow yourself to flow like water down a stream. You know our bodies are made up of mostly water right? Learn to trust yourself. Learn to see yourself as worthy of being given what you want and what you desire and allow yourself to receive it and be open to how it is delivered to you. Allow yourself to flow like water through the calmness and fury of the stream of life – maybe learn to laugh and have fun riding the waves – and watch as the storm passes and you are presented with happiness, peace, joy, and love.

I’m Shaun … just a spirit trying to be human. Thanks for reading.