It Happened *For* Me
Life’s curveballs aren’t just random; they’re catalysts for profound learning. This is a story about tapping into the unconscious mind — the part of us that dictates so much of our behavior without our conscious realization.
Let me take you back to when I was fired from a job that was, quite literally, making me sick.
The stress was brutal, my mind was in chaos, and anxiety had me in its grip, to the point where medication became necessary. “This job is killing me,” I’d say, half-joking, half with desperation.
Here’s the thing: I would’ve never quit, even knowing the damage it was causing. When the axe finally fell, I was awash with guilt and self-blame. However, as those feelings subsided, I discovered a liberating truth. This painful event was my first real conversation with my unconscious mind, which had been absorbing lessons of survival and endurance all along.
But that wasn’t the lowest I’d go.
Eight months later, the loss of my husband plunged me deeper, challenging my newfound understanding. It was a surprise because I thought I had already hit rock bottom. In this darkness, I was forced to confront the deepest parts of my psyche, the unconscious learning that had been silently occurring all this time. It was during this period of intense pain and reflection that I truly began to comprehend the full scope of my unconscious mind’s power.
This was especially pertinent as I tried to make sense of my past. Traditional talk therapy had done its part, but the answers to years of childhood abuse and bullying lay somewhere deeper. The phrase “everything happens for a reason” took on a new dimension. It’s not about justifying the suffering but understanding how our unconscious mind interprets and learns from these experiences.
In exploring the vast landscape of the human psyche, I dove into understanding why our reactions to adversity vary so dramatically. Some of us grow stronger, while others feel broken by similar experiences. Why do some hold on to the past, while others let go? These questions brought me back to the unconscious mind, the survivor brain that learns and adapts in ways we’re often not aware of.
It’s not the events themselves we should dwell on, but the silent lessons our unconscious minds derive from them. By reframing our adversities as learning opportunities for the unconscious, we can begin to reteach it to react differently, to transform pain into a pathway for growth.
“It Happened For Me” is more than a phrase; it’s a perspective shift. After life’s storms, when we take stock of our internal landscape, we often find that we’ve grown. The abuse I suffered didn’t benefit me, but my response to it — shaped by my unconscious mind — has improved my outlook and deepened my empathy. This is the true measure of growth.
The company that let me go missed out on a chance for reflection, but I seized it. This lesson in self-awareness has informed every aspect of my life since. Every interaction, every setback, has become a dialogue with my unconscious, teaching me more about myself and how to live authentically.
Life is, after all, the greatest of teachers, but its lessons are often hidden in the unconscious mind. Each difficulty we face is a seed of opportunity. It’s our job to nurture these seeds through introspection and turn them into lessons that fortify our character.
Every experience presents a choice: to view it as a setback or as a step forward. By facing our challenges head-on, we can thank them for making us stronger, for teaching us lessons that we could not have learned any other way. It’s a journey of continuous learning, and the valleys are just as important as the peaks. They teach us that the view from the mountaintop is worth the climb.
Moving forward, let’s carry the lessons we’ve learned, both good and bad, into our future. Let’s use them to live more authentically, to forge deeper connections with our deepest selves — our unconscious minds, and to fully embrace our humanity. Our experiences, particularly the trials and triumphs, weave the rich tapestry of our existence. It’s our response to these experiences, guided by the wisdom of the unconscious mind, that ultimately defines the legacy we leave behind.
