Reframing Problems

"[T]he beast residing at the center of the labyrinth is also an angel."
~Thomas Moore, Care of the Soul, p 20

No matter how enlightened we are, and no matter how old and wise we become, it is likely we will continue to experience some amount of obstacles, challenges and dissatisfaction in our lives - even if only on occasion or just for a moment.

If we reframe these problems as opportunities for personal and spiritual growth, and seek out the miracle they hold for us, we can often find great healing and inner peace - something most of us are seeking.

Consider a problem you are experiencing in your life right now, or if it's a bit too close for comfort, consider a problem you experienced years ago. You likely already see how it is a beast - it burdened you, angered you, hurt you, prevented you from having something you wanted.

Take time to journal or reflect the following:

• Describe this problem and all you can remember about it.
• What did this problem require you to learn that you may not otherwise have chosen to learn?
• How has this learning served you in other parts of your life?
• What did this problem require you to do in order to resolve it, escape it, or even recover from it?
• What did you learn about yourself while doing this?
• In what other ways has this problem served you?
• How has this problem resulted in the enrichment in your life or the lives of others?
• What qualities were present in you as you worked to resolve, overcome, or survive this problem?
• Acknowledge yourself for who you had to be to resolve, overcome, or survive this problem.

Perhaps you had to find another way to accomplish something you wanted, and that led you to grow new skills you were able to use in other areas of your life; or change outmoded patterns of behaving or thinking that prevented meaningful relationships; or meet amazing people you'd have never met otherwise. Perhaps while navigating a road block you learned how strong and resourceful you could be. Perhaps you learned how to gracefully accept and receive assistance from others when you had previously felt asking for help was a weakness, or were afraid to ask.

Stretch your mind as far as you can, and find the angel within your problem.

With the continued practice of reframing our problems in this empowering light, we often find ourselves experiencing our new problems differently. We start to recognize within them the opportunities for personal insight and expanded awareness - the hope and promise of bringing us something greater than we could have imagined. They begin to seem like little miracles.