Dirty Dozen Belief #4
Believing that some things are meant to be provides us with an answer to the surprising, unexpected, and unplanned events that happen to us, but does holding this belief help us or hurt us?
The benefit of believing that if something is meant to happen it will happen, is that it shows you have faith that there is a purpose and a plan for your life. If you somehow figure out what this is and follow your path you will have a successful career, fall in love with Mr./Ms. Right, and have the financial means to live the life you’ve always dreamed of. if it’s meant to be it will happen regardless of the effort you put forth to make it happen.
If we accept this belief, it will also mean that if you want something, pursue it, work hard for it, and if it doesn’t happen it’s because it was not destined to be. If life doesn’t turn out the way you want it to you accept that it wasn’t what was meant for you because destiny determines your life, you don’t. You have faith that you can handle the disappointment and settle for where you are, because that’s where you’re meant to be.
I think it also represents a laisse faire attitude toward life because you believe you lack the power to create your dream life or are powerless to change the life you have if you’re not happy. It’s taking a passive approach to living your life that suggests you don’t have any responsibility for how your life turns out.
This belief can either make you feel comfortable or uncomfortable. It may feel good because It provides you with an excuse if you aren’t successful. It’s not your fault. It just wasn’t meant to be. Although it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you believe you’re completely responsible for the good and the bad that happens to you, it also feels uncomfortable to believe you are powerless to create the life you want.
When you’ve had setbacks, or in those moments when you’ve done all you can and in spite of your hard work the desired outcome isn’t achieved, it can seem like you ‘re plagued by bad luck. What you are striving for will never happen because it just isn’t meant to be.
Something I love about the belief that if it’s meant to happen it will happen, is that I can look back on my life and definitely see moments when I met the right person or attended the right meeting, or just happened to sit next to someone at a dinner that open doors to opportunities and led to a life that logically should never have happened. It’s easy to think that I was just lucky to be in the right place at the right time.
If I really take a look at those unexpected meetings, I can also see that I showed up to those places and did the follow up that put me on the path to a fulfilling career or happy relationship. I chose to walk through a door that was opened for me without knowing what was on the other side. Life didn’t just happen without any effort on my part.
I believe we each have the power to determine our destiny. We have free will to choose to say yes or no to opportunities that come our way. When you’re open to unexpected opportunities and don’t overlook them because it’s not exactly what you were waiting for, you may find that it’s a steppingstone to achieving an even larger purpose than what you could have imagined.
I don’t believe there is one purpose and one path destined for you. There are many options. The world is changing too fast for us to be limited to one. Maybe there is an amazing multi-purpose plan for each of us with multiple entry points and ample opportunities to choose every day to be a part of it.
We grow impatient. We want what we want, and we want it now, but often, we aren’t ready for it. If you feel like you continue to hit a brick wall, it’s not bad luck. It may be an indication that there is another opportunity that is better for you but you can’t see it if you keep hitting that brick wall.
There’s another saying I think is much more empowering and has worked better for me than “If It’s Meant to Happen It Will Happen,” and that’s “If It’s Meant to Be It Is Up to Me.”
Our choices determine our destiny. If we choose to have faith that no matter how many disappointments we have, we can embrace the unexpected and choose to open our minds to new opportunities. That’s how we create our own destiny.
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