How Can I See This Differently?

What can you do when things don’t turn out the way you’d hoped?

It happens all the time. You dedicate yourself to a relationship that ends. You throw yourself into a project that fails. You vote for a candidate who is not elected.  I’ll bet you could name a dozen disappointments.

Depending upon the circumstance and just how invested you were in the outcome, it is natural to feel an army of uncomfortable emotions—fear, sadness, fear, anger, despair, and more. Noticing the feelings is important. Giving yourself permission to be present to them is vital before you can begin to move forward.

Once you are ready, there is a powerful question for you to ask yourself, “How can I see this differently?”

One of Unity’s fundamental teachings is the Law of Mind Action. It says that we are cocreating our world with God through our thoughts. As the saying goes, “Thoughts held in mind, produce after their kind.” What kind of thoughts are you holding in this moment? Are they the kind of thoughts you want to use to cocreate your world?

Give Yourself Power Shifting Mindset

When you find yourself disappointed or discouraged, it might seem natural to simply look around for someone or something to blame. But when you do that, you start to feel like a victim. You are giving your power away to someone or something outside of yourself.

Instead, ask yourself, “How can I see this differently?” Listen to your inner wisdom and shift your mindset from blame to empowerment. Take inventory of your thoughts and change your thinking to match what you want to create in the world. Look at your choices and take personal responsibility for them. Positive thoughts are magnets that naturally lead to positive actions and energy. Changing your outlook really can change the outcome.

"The point of thinking differently is that it leads you to behave differently."

Marianne Williamson

The truth is that we all have the power to control our thoughts even in the midst of huge disappointments. And when we realize that our thoughts have power, we know that we are not victims. We can choose thoughts that position us for success. The next time you find yourself disappointed, realize it is just one more opportunity to ask yourself, “How can I see this differently?”