I ask myself this question many times a day as a wife, a mom, a business owner, and a practitioner. My PURPOSE with everyone I am afforded the opportunity to encounter is to inspire them to ask this same question whenever they feel they are in a “problem” situation because there is always another perspective.
The words we use to communicate carry a specific meaning, that most people can agree on, but each individual's perception or judgment of many words can be different. The word 'problem' is a great example. I think all of us could use this word daily for a multitude of situations. For example: walking out the door one morning on your way to work and finding a flat tire on your car, firing up your computer at work when you have 99 emails to respond to and your Wi-Fi isn't working, or a person that always takes up 3 times more of your time than is necessary to accomplish a simple task catches you 10 minutes before an important meeting! All of these ARE problems. BUT they do not have to affect us in a negative way. All experiences, encounters, and relationships are there for us to learn. Of course...... As humans we will feel frustrated, angry or want to avoid certain problem situations initially. If we realize we have the ability to recognize how we are feeling (hopefully sooner than later) then take a step back and CHOOSE to feel differently in these “problem” situations we can find the purpose to learn from. This is how we grow.
The definition of a problem- a matter or situation regarded as unwelcome or harmful; and needing to be dealt with and overcome. I LOVE THIS! It sounds like a purpose to me. A purpose is empowering! Our lives would be so fulfilling if we saw all of our problems as a purpose to overcome. But it must be with the best intentions for all involved.
“When you stop learning you stop growing.” -Kenneth H. Blanchard
