A Guide for When Life Falls Apart

We get blindsided, overwhelmed, and lost.

It can be hard to remember the big picture, our purpose, or find meaning through it all.

Hard times can make us wonder where we went wrong.

Did we miss a sign?

Did we ignore our intuition?

Should we have done something differently?

Questioning ourselves and the meaning of life is healthy and necessary.

I am a firm believer that when life falls apart the universe is right there to pick us back up.

The search for meaning in hard times isn't always a lightbulb that goes off in our heads.

Here are some of the tools that guided me to growth, healing, and support.

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Silence your ego.

In moments where life gets volatile, and we are driven by pure emotion we aren't always connected to our wise minds.

My ego has often convinced me to stay isolated and go through my struggles alone.

Our egos can be masterful at tricking us into believing our emotions, especially fear.

What we feel isn't always an accurate representation of reality. In fact, it usually isn't.

Something I've learned is to get to know my ego.

Practice mindful observation of your thoughts and what stories your mind creates.

Notice where it goes in hard times.

Is it telling you that you aren't good enough?

That you will be alone forever?

That no one really cares?

These thoughts may be part of your ego, masking what you really need.

Vulnerability. Support. Love. Community.

Silence your ego for a moment.

And listen.

What is your inner voice nudging?

Be led by this instead.

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Remember the bigger picture.

I am guilty of not remembering the bigger picture when I am struggling.

My big dreams suddenly vanish and I forget everything meaningful in my life.

My fear-based thoughts limit my view of the bigger picture.

A practice I highly recommend trying is going for walks and looking at all of your surroundings.

If you tend to look down, start to look up and around.

This simple practice can train our subconscious minds to remember the bigger picture in difficult moments when we need it most.

The bigger picture is there to remind us that we aren't alone.

It can help us to check in with reality and remember there is purpose for everything, even if we can't see it yet.

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Talk with the universe.

This might seem silly but the idea of conversing with a force bigger than ourselves is an ancient practice.

I find comfort in talking to the universe in my mind, especially during hard times.

There are have been some peaceful moments I have felt as a result from asking for guidance and clarity.

Get quiet with yourself and have a heart-to-heart with the universe.

Try asking these questions:

"What is my next small step?"

"What can I learn from this?"

The answer may come to you or not.

I think even if you only feel better the slightest bit after the practice, it's a successful tool.

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Remember what you love.

Tough times can easily erase our sense of purpose and lead us down a spiral of confusing thoughts.

It may be a confusing time for a while.

Something I have found helpful is remembering what I love.

Going back to what I love, even when life isn't going right helps me ride the waves easier.

What did you love before life got hard?

What was your calling? Did you have a vision?

Remember what you love and what excites you.

Sometimes this changes in moments of great change and chaos, and that's okay.

A practice that I have found helpful is gratitude.

Find gratitude for the simple things. For what is available. For who is available.

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Connect to your intuition.

Our intuition is an old tool that we have used for years to navigate life.

Call it your gut feeling, instinct, inner voice.

It is that small voice that sometimes kicks in to guide us through a foreign situation.

New science has shown that people who use their intuition make better decisions, faster decisions, and feel more confident.

A practice I have used for years to connect to my intuition is meditation.

From guided meditations, breathwork, repeating mantras, listening to the sounds of nature, all of these can be tools to help us access our intuitive mind.

Experiment with different styles of meditations and see what resonates.

By connecting to our intuition we can gain new information that we otherwise may not be able to see on our own.

Our intuition is a guide to remembering that we are supported and that the universe has our back.

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