Has life knocked you around? You’re not alone. No one gets through this journey without their share of bumps, bruises, heartache, and grief. There are times when you may wonder if you can keep going when everything you’ve tried has failed, or you’re faced with a situation that brings you to your knees. You wonder if you can make it past the situation; you desperately scramble to find a way out, an instruction manual that tells you what to do next, but one does not exist. In moments like this, regardless of your beliefs, there is something inside of you that wants to reach out to a higher power and ask for a helping hand. But HOW do you ask? Here are five ways to ask the universe for help.
Acceptance
When you ask the universe for help, you’re usually in a tough spot. Your instinct may be to RUN, escape, distract yourself or pretend it’s not happening. While this may ease the pain in the short term, it prolongs the experience. By facing and accepting the situation for what it is, instead of trying to make it something else, you can use your limitless resources from the present moment to see what to do or NOT do next and keep moving with your life. Rather than beating yourself up when you feel a negative emotion about the situation, you can accept that too. Things are challenging enough without resisting reality; often, it’s the resistance that causes the pain and suffering. By accepting the situation, you can put yourself in a better position to receive guidance and solutions.
Step back and ask the Universe for help
Have you ever noticed your initial response to a challenging situation? Do you ask why me? Or when you find yourself in a situation that keeps repeating itself, why does this always happen to me? The way our brains and the Universe work is when we ask a question, it will continue to provide us answers. For example, if you ask, why does this always happen to me? The Universe hears. Find more reasons why this always happens. The next thing you know, you’re in another situation where you hate your job, are in a bad relationship or are broke.
When you step back and look from a different perspective, you can shift your questioning to ask what you’re learning from this that you need to change or release. In every situation, you have the choice to see things as a grievance or a miracle. What is the miracle you are experiencing and learning from, and how is this situation contributing to your expansion?
Don’t ask for escape; ask for guidance
When things are tough, you want to escape the pain and be rescued. You’re waiting for someone to come along (preferably on a white horse) and whisk you away. But the universe doesn’t work that way. We’re all here to experience growth and expansion in this life school, and that tough situation is part of your soul’s journey.
By getting still and stepping back from the situation and asking for guidance or a sign, you can receive insights or inspiration for what to do next. Being open to receiving signs for inspired action will help you move through the experience, learn, and grow. The best bit about that? You won’t have to go through that situation again because you’ve learned the lesson and become stronger! In order to receive guidance or signs from the universe, you will need to do the following.
Decide you want to receive the guidance
It’s one thing to ask for guidance, but are you ready to receive it? So many of us want to ask for guidance, but then we block the signs with doubt. Be willing to accept answers no matter how or from whom they come. Answers may come in seemingly random places like on a billboard or from a chance meeting with a stranger. The possibilities are endless. However, you have to decide you want the answers before you can receive them.
Pay attention to your environment
Pay more attention to your experience; it makes no sense to ask a question and then ignore the answer. During these times of seeking, pay attention to your environment. You may be surprised at what pops out at you when you pay attention.
Document any repeating signs
Once you get in the groove of noticing the occurrences and stimuli in your life, there may be some repeating signs. It’s helpful to jot these down in your journal. This will give you documentation and further evidence of the signs, and you can see on paper the answers you are receiving.
Trust the source – There is an element of trust and belief that is required to tap into the source of infinite knowledge and possibilities. When you are ready, and you need to know, you will know! Nevertheless, if you seek this kind of connection to the universe, it will support you. Trust in the source, within and outside of yourself. Signs are not meant to be ambiguous, even if they appear to be so at first. Seek and find, then receive fully, in order to find your truth.
Get in alignment with the solution
Every problem that exists also comes with a solution. The challenge with difficult situations is that our attention stays focused on the problem; like a magnet, we are stuck on what’s wrong, how hard it is, how difficult things are for us, and why our significant other broke up with us. Staying stuck in the problem prevents us from seeing the solutions. Abraham Hicks explains that when we know what we don’t want, we know what we do want.
For example, let’s say you don’t want to be alone. And you think, I hate being alone, why am I still alone? When will I ever find someone? This type of questioning is not the way to ask the universe for help. Those questions are all problem-focused; instead, focus on what you do want, the feeling of connection, love, comfort, stability, and passion. Now focus on those feelings and look for ways to feel those things without the condition of a partner. Allow yourself to see vividly in your imagination having those things. Your imagination has incredible creative powers that can be tapped into to begin the process of changing your situation.
Have a vision for your life and how you WANT things to be
We can find ourselves repeating challenges without a north star guiding us. By knowing and allowing yourself to create the situations and circumstances, you want, you will be able to navigate difficulties with more ease. People with a clearly defined vision find themselves living more in a state of flow and with less resistance. Here are a few traits of people who have a passion-based goal.
They are not fixed in their beliefs
People who have a vision for their life and passion-based goals realise they can change their self-image and beliefs whenever they choose and, if necessary. They are not afraid to give up any limited benefits that may have been created by programming from their youth. They feel free and know they can choose the beliefs that move them in the direction of their dreams. This flexibility allows them to adapt quickly to circumstances.
They develop perseverance and patience
People who have a vision for their life and passion-based goals understand that the line to success is not straight. In fact, they come to accept and embrace setbacks and challenges as part of the journey and refuse to allow a bump in the road to throw them off their tracks. They know that like a tree that bears fruit, they must go through the natural lines of development and be patient but keep growing every day.
They nurture themselves to give their vision the best chance
People who are willing to be led by the vision of their life understand the importance of investing in self-care. They’ve turned into their physical and emotional needs and do whatever it takes to create and support the best physical environment. They know what foods work well with their systems, how much sleep they need and what type and how often they need to exercise to provide the maximum energy and focus on accomplishing their goals.
They have a spiritual practice
They value the journey as much as the destination and have built a practice e of gratitude, allowing them to enjoy the journey and the benefit it brings to others. They know how to tune into that “higher power” that keeps pulling them forward, particularly on the days when the rest of us would give up. They take time each day to enjoy some sort of spiritual practice such as meditation, time out in nature, journaling or all three. They know that it’s not just about asking the universe for help; it’s also about being thankful for what they have already received. Tuning into their version of spirituality, they can be in a better place to receive guidance that they accept and use.
They’re willing to ignore what others think and act
People who have a vision for their life and passion-based goals are willing to take action on their true guidance system, the universe or their intuition. They may be inspired to move in a direction that is at odds with the people around them and are open to taking the path with more resistance if it means staying true to who they are. They stand firm in their vision and remain unaffected by people who think they are crazy.
They have a deep faith
People who have a vision for their life and passion-based goals know that the universe supports them on their journey. They embrace the serendipity, and chance encounters are a result of them committing to asking, believing and receiving guidance. They have let go of doubt and commit each day to their vision, their goals and their dreams.
The bottom line
You are part of an incredible environment that is rich in experiences, both good and bad. You wouldn’t know the joys of success and connection if you did not understand the dread of despair and loneliness. It’s ok to ask the universe for help and guidance, it is there for you always, but it’s just as important to decide to believe and act on that help that is provided. This is not always easy, and when you ask the universe for help, the messages you receive will most likely send you down a path that is uncomfortable, but hey, things will be uncomfortable anyway; you may as well be uncomfortable on your way to achieving your vision of life.
