Behind Every Setback is a Setup

I‘ve had an epiphany overcome me, so strongly and so completely. 

I didn’t see it as a tide coming in over on the horizon. Nor did I hear the roar of thunder letting me know that lightning was coming.

It was such a sudden occurrence, with an impact of a tsunami or a brazen earthquake. It destroyed my previously well established thoughts on life

I used to believe that I had to be brave each time I encountered a setback, to be patient, that things would turn around.

You can build bridges between ideas and thoughts.

I knew that out of the bad, good things may happen as well, but I missed a crucial point, a law of the universe.

Behind every setback is a setup.

Looking back upon my life, I can see where I subconsciously took advantage of the bad times to catapult the energy of the moment into something more productive, more effective and more palatable for me.

Imagine what I would have been able to achieve if I consciously was aware and was seeking out that setup?

Sure, you may be doubting me at this moment, but look at it this way… If you believe that pills are capable of inducing a placebo effect, how much more so would hope!

Even if my point isn’t true, your belief in the truth of my statement would make it true in your life.

Perhaps next time I should write about the effect of faith on the human psyche!

Alright, maybe at this moment you are about to start agreeing with me.

Let me share with you how I came to possess this valuable knowledge.

It started with a series of events that occurred to me over a period of about a month.

Things just weren’t going my way.

I was so upset with a particular person, that they weren’t behaving the way I wanted them to. Ergo, Ego moment.

No matter how I urged them, no matter what I did, I couldn’t control the outcomes of that person.

I was super frustrated.

So I started channeling that energy into something productive, something that made me happy and at the same time was a wonderful creative outlay.

Because of my frustration and pent up energy, my first book was created. Every note that was written came out with passion from every moment that taught me something or inspired me to be a person I wanted to be, someone free, to whom success is accessible no matter what stands in her way.

I was very proud of my book, but things weren’t falling into place the way I could see them in my mind’s eye, so I started looking for ways to control inputs into my life and my outputs, so that I could be at peace, filled with joy and freedom to thrive, not strive.

This is the pivotal moment in my story.

It hit me hard when I realized that my setback was actually a setup which birthed my first book.

Because of this awareness, I started to look for that setup behind my current setback.

That’s how I started my own second company, Pyshnyak Lawrence Publishing. The way I see it, this will be a legacy I will pass on to my wonderful daughter.

Life is full of color and opportunities.

Soon, more and more ideas and connections started to appear to me and it became clear that the more I began to search for the setups, the more frequently I began to encounter them.

End result? Out of a tempestuous situation, one that drove me crazy because I just couldn’t control it, because of which, if I remained in that state of mind, I felt my success would be minimized greatly, I was squeezed out into a field of freedom.

I am now able to transfer the energy from one platform to another, which suits my temperament and dreams a whole lot better.

I’ve written before how I am excited to wake up in the morning.

Now I am looking forward to every challenge in my way because with my transformational thinking, I know I will end up being better off no matter what happens.

I am not afraid of my future. I am not anxious about what comes next because my mind is so trained to start looking around a problem, or a huge boulder in my way.

It will even find a way to walk through it, no doubt.

If you are a Christian, you already know that for the ones that love Him, everything will be made to work out for our good.

I knew this, but unfortunately, I never truly accepted that truth into my heart, my spirit.

If it weren’t for my very emotional time, a struggle of the soul, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything.

I’ve learned a lesson that is more valuable than gold.

A lesson that will not only change my life, but yours as well!

Live well and prosper!

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A Creative Genius Resides Within You

You may have accused yourself of not having a creative bone in your body but that accusation nests far from the truth.

Every one I’ve met so far has the potentially to be creative or thrive creatively on a very high level.

Ok, so why have you not seen that about you? 

Either because you are blinded and have taken your ability for granted or because, unfortunately, you just simply aren’t in the environment that would let you blossom.

For seven years of my life I worked at a company where I just didn’t fit in. I was amidst engineers who talked shop. Who seemed smart. I couldn’t talk much about their gadgets, machinery or product. Because of that I was perceived as less capable than they were.

The worst was… when I would often think that of myself as well.

I couldn’t often be noticeably creative because what creative moments I had weren’t paid attention to, not because they were not appreciating them, but because they simply weren’t seeing them. 

You see, I didn’t speak their language. 

How often I’ve seen immigrants be deemed stupid because of the language barrier!

How often they’ve felt stupid and accepted that thought and made it their own!

Examine your environment. Can you change it?

Times changed. I moved. 

I am now in an environment, propelled by the special burst of courage and energy received through my daughter’s birth, where all of a sudden I feel like I get it. I do and say things that are understood and welcomed. I realized I am actually quite fluent! 

Because of that increase in confidence and belief in self worth, I started to break down my creativity barriers. I realized that the only true barrier, was my own self. My deep-seated, deep-rooted beliefs.

What am I saying? It may not be you, it may truly be the environment.

Be like a child. Everything is so exciting to them!

If you cannot change jobs or move, find opportunities or hobbies that you enjoy. Surround yourself with people that “get it” and whom you  “get” also.

The stronger you become in standing your ground of self worth, and validated by your own beliefs about yourself, the more freedom you will have to express yourself on all levels.

Creativity begets creativity.

Start somewhere. Just start. Not tomorrow. Today.

Although I constantly harp on this one point, I do it with specific reason, to remind you and drill it down into your subconscious; you cannot deny the world your true self.

We are losing out because of your fears. Fears come from wrong beliefs.

It’s time to turn to the new page.

Fuel that fire.

Spring is so fresh with promise.

Your day today is filled with promise.

You are our promise.

A promise that our future has hope.

A promise that our future has a future.

Don’t bend under that weight.

Thrive.

Wild Flowers

I once picked a bouquet of wild tall reed grass because the blades looked so beautiful, righteous in their upright glory.  I dried them out and placed upon my dresser as decoration.  Over the years I have added bits and pieces of my birthday flowers, my baptism flowers, graduation flowers.  Of each bouquet I picked out the blooms that would last throughout the years and look just as wonderful when preserved.

Today this meaningful bouquet still stands on top of my bedroom dresser, and I can still look at it and remember the years gone by.  Occasionally I would switch up the vase, as the bouquet has evolved from the slender bottle-necked vase and into a mature vessel.  It stands just as proudly as that original day I picked it.

It’s mementos like these that make a house a home… that add warmth and character, charm and wistfulness.  Interior decorating or design isn’t just about what piece of furniture goes with which curtain. Or what paint color would be the most suitable.  Interior decorating is about heart.  It’s about building a comfortable home for your family.  It’s memories and things you love best.

Look around you. Are your rooms lacking your personal touch?  Is there anything you have hidden in your attic that must be proudly displayed?  Are there any family heirlooms that deserve to be showcased on your mantelpiece? Are your children’s masterpieces tucked away, but should be hung on the walls or displayed on the coffee table?

It’s funny how we can ignore the expensive dresser in the bedroom or a valuable set of silverware.  Instead we might focus on the children’s artwork on the fridge or the wedding photos lovingly framed and arranged along the staircase.  We may not pause at the  big chandelier..but we will take a moment to admire the wooden stool your husband carved or the well worn quilt draped across the armchair that your grandmother hand-stitched.  It’s not about the grandeur of things and objects, but rather the simplicity, the love, the memories behind the creations.

When it comes to our homes let’s rejoice in each new day.  Let’s revel in our families, live fully, love strongly and let’s not forget the wild flowers…

I Choose To Enjoy My Journey

I often find myself so focused on the end result, the destination, that I rush through the process, forgetting to enjoy it, to derive as much value and pleasure out of each moment, connection and even failure.

Of course, I’ve redefined failure to mean something much more palatable for me, a lesson learned, a practice run, a stepping stone in the right direction.

How often all it takes is to shift your perspective.

A few days ago, one lady posted an article that found that sweet spot in me at that particular time.
It mentioned this concept of enjoying the journey. I say, we need to learn to love it.
Most of our lives is spent crawling, walking or running this journey, so we might as well make it our friend.

Anyway, that concept was not new to me. Most self help and self professed gurus have been shouting out this idea from the rooftops of society. Books have been written about it.
But only in that moment it hit home. That thought made a permanent, irreversible mark on my consciousness.

The birds started singing more loudly, the colors have become more crisp, my daughter’s face became more beautiful to me all of a sudden.

I started appreciating my friends more, my new connections and connections that were falling through.

Maya enjoying the crisp Autumn leaves.

I’ve had an epiphany. I came to the source from which stems joy, being like a child. Having a childlike curiosity and doing things just because it seems fun, cool, exciting. Kids don’t care about what happens next, tomorrow, in a year. They enjoy the now.

And right now, I choose to enjoy my journey. I will be happy with every breakthrough, and with every set back, because I also choose to believe that behind every set back is a set up. A set up to something better.

Because I trust God to look after me, like a child trusts the parent, I can easily say, I choose to enjoy my journey.

And yes, it is a choice. So the power to be happy, it really is within your hands… (errr, more like within you:).

Much love to you! And… go out there, twirl, give it a whirl! We are all kids at heart.