Trust the Process
Have you ever been so annoyed when someone told you to trust the process and things will work out as they are meant to. You look at them and literally want to smack them and say, “Are you serious what am I supposed to learn from this?” I get it, I have felt that way so many times. However, the knowledge of trusting the process always seems to come after, as hindsight is definitely twenty-twenty.
Take a moment to ponder the events in your life. Were there any events that at the time were really hard? You questioned how you would make it to the other side. Then as you moved through the process, and grew you can now look back and think; wow I am a better, stronger, more resilient person for that experience and be grateful for it.
There are definitely a few big events in my life that I can think of that were so hard they almost broke me completely. Yet as time passed and I navigated, learned and grew. I am so grateful for those experiences because they truly made me who I am today and gave me a sense of confidence in myself that I never had before. So now when big struggles emerge I can look back at what I have already overcome and think to myself, I have made it through so much worse, I have got this!
When I was going through a really difficult divorce years ago, I was in my massage therapists office and I was really struggling. He told me to take a big breath, and visualize myself 5 years from now and asked if this would really be a big struggle then. My answer was no. Then he said, if it will not be affecting you in 5 years it is really a temporary problem meant to teach you something about yourself. That really hit me. It was something I just needed to grow through, and even though the events were feeling debilitating at the time, in the long run of life those events really are an opportunity for learning.
Think about the place you are currently in. Are you exactly where you want to be? Probably not, but if you think back to where you were 10 years ago, have you made progress? Have you grown as a person? Would the you from 10 years ago be so inspired by how far you have come. Do you have something now that you really wished for 10 years ago but now that you have it it seems insignificant?
Whenever I am doubting the process of life I think back to when I was living in my aunt and uncle’s basement, with my toddler, trying to finish my masters degree while working full-time and sorting through my divorce. I think to myself, wow I have come so far. I now have everything I was wishing for during that time period and I often forget to be grateful for how much I had to overcome to get to this point. I own my own house, car, finished my masters, have a really great teaching job and the most amazing group of friends.
Do I often wish for other things? Yes. When hard things arise do I still struggle? Yes. But those struggles are easier to overcome and shorter lived. I know that I can make it through anything I set my mind to completing because of those experiences and it just continues to help drive me forward and reach for my goals. The goals I have not reached yet are just part of the process and I need to remind myself of that and trust that things will work out exactly as they are meant to, if I continue to trust the process and take steps towards my goals each and every day.
So this week take some time to look back at what you have overcome and learned from. Then take some time to ponder what parts of trusting the process are you being resistant against? Meditate on letting go of those parts of you that are not trusting the process and see how life begins to shift.
