When Turning Points Become Touchpoints
Every major challenge we face, every adversity we bump into, comes with a decision—a fork in the road.
These turning points, the moments when we decide which way we will go, can become touchpoints in our lives.
Each one of us will face several of these moments. They’re the changes that change us—whether they’re happy or unhappy experiences, professional or personal, pertaining to health, relationships, or money. And they can lead us to breakdowns or breakthroughs.
The choices we make create the narrative of our lives. Before you face your next turning point, take note of the ways you can deepen it into a touchpoint:
1. Unmask the real you. If your self-image is based on someone you’ve been pretending to be, it’s time to get real. Don’t allow self-deception to shadow you from who you are; don’t justify or blame. You can’t befriend who you think you want to be, only who you are and who you are meant to be.
2. Embrace openness and flexibility. The most precious opportunities present themselves when you come to a place where you don’t think you can handle what’s happening. It is those moments—basically, when life has just nailed you—that you’re free to stop manipulating circumstances, to let go of trying so hard. When you have no choice but to embrace what is happening, you can discover your own flexible edge.
3. Take in the hard lessons. It’s human nature to look upon a challenge or crisis as bad news. And they do cause pain, no doubt. But it’s possible to become the kind of person who is hungry to know what the complications are really about—who can go beyond the pain and dive deep into the wisdom and lessons that are present in those moments, who can lean in instead of collapsing or backing away.
4. See the bigger picture. When times are tough, it is hard to see beyond our own perspective. But when you can back up to see the bigger picture, you’ll be able to see your own path through to the other side. Instead of remaining frozen and stuck in the experiences that brought you to this point, it’s a time to gather your mental strength, to look beyond what is happening in the moment and bravely face ahead.
5. Surrender to what is. The worst difficulties for many of us are the ones we create for ourselves. You can overcome so much by looking within, studying your true self, and letting that self be. When you can see and surrender instead of denying and fighting and trying to escape, you are able to create a point of clear, peaceful truth.
6. Remember you’re part of something bigger. Times are difficult globally, and awakening ourselves is not a personal luxury or an ideal. It’s critically important if we are to contribute to the store of good in the world instead of adding more discouragement and anger to what’s already here. Instead of remaining cocooned in our private misery, we can connect the touchpoints we create to build the positivity and goodness that our world desperately needs.
7. Make the path the goal. It’s not the destination that matters but the path itself. Of course, everything has a beginning, a middle, and an end. But our deepest goal is not to arrive at the end but to fully experience the journey, individually and together.
Lead From Within: Our turning points will be the opportunities to find deeper powers within ourselves, they will come our most significant touchpoints.
Additional Reading:
Why You Need to Lead With a Higher Standard to Succeed
The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
What Leadership Is Not
Photo Credit: Getting Images
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