The Answer is in the Chaos

“Chaos does not mean total disorder. Chaos means a multiplicity of possibilities. Chaos is from the ancient Greek words that means a thing that is birthed from the void. And it is about that which is possible, not about disorder.” ~ Jok Church

It’s an interesting time personally, professionally, and in the world. There is so much uncertainty, change, and chaos. Everywhere you turn, it’s easy to feel lost, disheartened, helpless, confused, or fearful. You, or someone you know, may be facing a job layoff, the closure of a business, an end to a relationship, a health crisis, or some other struggle. And regardless of where you live in the world, we are all facing fragilities and fractures in our economies, governments, and freedoms. Today’s environment challenges us at our core. It poses a threat to our wellbeing by challenging the progress we thought we’d made as individuals and as collective citizens in this dynamic world.

But I’m here to tell you, this is exactly when we can be at our best. This is exactly when a single candle can light a dark room, when one pebble can create ripples beyond what we can see. And this is exactly when powerful Aha’s emerge. Aha! Moments don’t happen when times are smooth and predictable. They happen in the middle of change, disruption, uncertainty, and chaos. Epiphanies are answers that come from the deepest parts of us and guide us toward the light, showing us where we can go or what we can do next. There is always a guiding force in our lives that pulls us from the brink of despair and reminds us of who we are, that shows us opportunities in the middle of chaos.

The poet, Amanda Gorman, called it, The Hill We Climb. In her poem, she wrote:

When day comes, we ask ourselves:
Where can we find light
In this never-ending shade?
The loss we carry, a sea we must wade…

When day comes, we step out of the shade,
Aflame and unafraid.
The new dawn blooms as we free it,
For there is always light,
If only we’re brave enough to see it,
If only we’re brave enough to be it.

My fellow sojourner, regardless of what you may be going through in this moment, look up. And instead of cursing the situation, look at it with curiosity and awe as though it has arrived to carry you toward something grander. I believe this time may be just what you’ve been created for.

John D. Rockefeller built his empire by forging ahead during an economic decline and when all other business owners were retreating. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., emerged from obscurity to lead the civil rights movement spawned by Rosa Parks’ brave act of refusing to give up her seat to white passengers on a bus. And what about someone closer to you than those historical figures, someone who stepped forward when the natural or more common response would have been to withdraw or to run in the other direction, to not take the hill?

What do those individuals have in common? Persistence and resilience, for sure. But they also could see opportunity in the toughest of times. And that takes positivity, embracing fear, but not letting it determine your future, and it takes courage.

Now, think of your own situation. What are you facing that frightens you or leaves you feeling lost, hopeless, confused, or dejected? Examine it as though you are staring at a strange object and curiously wondering what it is and why it has shown up in your life. I don’t care what it is. It could be a heartbreak due to a relationship ending. It could be a layoff that leaves you at a loss as to what to do next with your life. It could be a downturn in your business that is threatening financial collapse. A diagnosis that will require you to change how you live. Or a social condition that disturbs you such that you feel compelled to act.

And truthfully, it doesn’t have to be anything you perceive as negative. It’s simply new, different, unknown, and you’re not exactly sure what to do with it. 

Whatever your situation is, inspect it and explore it with an open and curious mind. Maybe think to yourself or say out loud, “My answer is located in the middle of this challenge.” The answer that will lead you to the love you deserve. The answer that will show you the way to your next job opportunity. The answer that will reveal how to stabilize or turn your business around. The answer that will add vitality to your life. The answer where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.

The answer is in the chaos.

That’s the Aha! Instead of retreating, withdrawing, or holding your head down in despair, run toward the hill and climb it. Turn toward the chaos and see the multiplicity of possibilities that lie within. See that thing you can birth from the void. And remember, there is always light if you are brave enough to see it, if you are brave enough to be it.

You are.

#yourahalife #resilience #positivity #possibilitiesinchaos #theanswerisinthechaos #embracingchange