This reminds me of learning from our failures.
This becomes useful especially when faced with one of our greatest enemies: FEAR
Not too long ago, I was afraid of losing financial control and not being able to pay my bills.
This fear was making me so anxious I started losing sleep and having nightmares.
Even though this was not the reality, I felt that it was likely to happen if I continued with the way things were.
I knew I needed to change something, but I could not see my options because my fear was so great. It blocked the way.
I asked myself;
'What can I do with what I had, to make a difference in the short term?'
I could not imagine any further because my fear was blocking the path.
I decided to investigate the one thing I could think of; my budget.
It was then I noticed that one of my biggest pay outs each month was the loan for my car.
I knew what my next move would be.
To sell my car to free up that cash so I could give myself some thinking space beyond the now and check my fear to the rear.
Can you imagine the shame I felt at having to make that decision?
When everyone else seemed to be getting new everything and upgrading their life, I was selling a car I bought brand new from the dealers to down size to a used car with almost 200K km already on it.
I shoved the thought as far back as could and moved forward with the sale.
This turned out to be a blessing.
Since that decision and the actions of it; there has been a pandemic and my salary got frozen for the last 3 years.
But...I had been able to invest some of the money I freed up in the months before the crazy inflation and that also allowed me to find new options that I would not have thought of if I did not use what the fear was showing me in a constructive way.
Had I played a fool and continued to ignore the fear and continued to go along with business as usual, I would have been crushed.
In fact, I have been, in other instances.
Many, many, many times.
And thereafter too.
That car sale has been the one moment I return to when I need to push through on something.
I remind myself of the lesson taught by my fear and reshape it into a tool.
What can YOU learn from your enemies that you can transform for use?