This is the third time I’ve been diagnosed with gestational diabetes during pregnancy and the second time I’ve been taking insulin shots 4 times a day to manage it. When I received the diagnosis at 11-weeks into my pregnancy, my doctor indicated that I’d failed the sugar test so badly there is a chance I might just be diabetic and it might not go away after the baby is born.
Many times when I receive what I consider to be bad news, I’ll feel the fear or hurt or anger wash over me and then immediately I feel guilty for feeling sorry for myself. I’m aware that there is great suffering in the world and mine is minor compared to many. I’ve watched close friends lose things like their houses, their mothers, their marriages as they knew them, their babies, and their own lives. I also know that in many parts of the world suffering is the norm and based on violations of basic human rights and survival.
So when life throws me a curve ball, I vacillate between guilt and anger for a period of time before I decide I’m done feeling either of those useless emotions and move on. It took me a couple of days of complaining and mourning the loss of certain parts of my routine when I was diagnosed with diabetes, and I spent most of this time in the land of, “it’s not fair.” You know that place, right? Here’s why I found myself stuck there.
I’ve carried 10 – 15 extra pounds of weight from time to time in my life, but not for the majority of it and I’ve never been classified as overweight. I have run 2 full marathons and am a lover of the gym. I am certified to teach turbo-kick boxing and did so through most of my last pregnancy. I am healthy. I take care of myself. I am not supposed to get diabetes. See..it’s not fair! For a day or so I kept looking around at all the people in the store who were really overweight and thinking, “SHE should have diabetes. I SHOULDN’T have diabetes!”
But after a day and a half of being angry about it, I was sick of myself and decided to stop it. My pancreas is not producing enough insulin to keep my blood sugar at a healthy level. Period. It has nothing to do with the overweight woman at Safeway. It will require closer monitoring of my health and more visits to the doctor but it’s all figure-out-able and it doesn’t have to impact my quality of life if I do what I need to do. I, with my small trials, have usually moved out of resistance and into surrender pretty quickly, but my problems are small. Some people have REAL trials. Real suffering. Some days I look at the world and wonder if it’s really true what they say: There are no accidents.
Perhaps, like me, you’ve heard several different versions of this belief.
Everything happens for a reason.
There are no coincidences.
There are no mistakes.
Nothing happens to you, it all happens for you.
It was supposed to happen the way it did.
The things that show up in your life are there for a reason.
And the work I’ve done for the last several years and the miracles I’ve seen happen in people’s lives have made me 100% a believer. It’s absolutely true. I know this for sure. Sometimes I haven’t wanted to hear it and many times my clients don’t want to hear it, but some things are true whether you believe them or not and this is one of them.
When you embrace this belief, here is what will change in your life:
You will access levels of strength and courage that are only available through grace. You will notice how life not only provides you trials for growth, but is also constantly conspiring in your favor. When you relinquish control of the way you think things should be, and accept that everything happens for you, the bad news will still disappoint and sting, but the lesson will surface faster and will carry you even further.
First, give credit for all the good luck, the people who come in and out of your life, and the abundance of blessings you experience, to a higher source and recognize that those blessings are there FOR A REASON. Then, when trials arise, once you’ve mourned the end of how you thought it would be, focus on aligning with that source to figure out your next right step. The trial is happening for you, which means the door is open to align with God and take a journey that will astonish and transform you. Don’t miss the door.
Practicing believing this when things are going well is the best way to be prepared when disaster strikes. Look for evidence of this belief in your life right now. If you pay attention you’ll find there truly are no coincidences. Isn’t that amazing? Here’s an example:
Six years ago the company I was working for underwent major changes which resulted in a huge shift in the leadership structure, a loss of our culture and values as we knew them, and serious decline of the company’s performance and profits. It all seemed like very bad news and it all felt very upsetting to most of us. Being in the training department at the time, I was sent out to be certified in various programs, which we hoped would help in the transition to get people and the organization back on track. I learned to teach people things like Emotional Intelligence, Situational Leadership, and Silver Bullet Selling. If you’ve never heard of these programs that’s ok. The point is, I went through extensive training to not only learn these programs, but to MASTER them so I could teach others to utilize them. Then, due to further shifts in company priorities, I never taught them to more than a handful of people. It was disappointing to say the least.
Accept now I know it was no accident. The things I learned during the turmoil at that company are serving me today in ways I never knew I would need. They help me know how to navigate the world of being an entrepreneur. They help me when my husband asks for advice about his job. And most of all I use them in the coaching I do with clients to provide them tools for success in their lives. It was no accident that I mastered all of that. There WAS a reason. It’s so amazing to me to watch today.
I bet if you think back you can find a story similar to mine. This is a powerful way to live your life. There are no accidents. I’m supposed to have diabetes right now. I don’t know why, but I know I’m supposed to. I’m at total peace with it.
Have a great week and please leave a comment if you have a thought on this topic that you want to share. I LOVE reading your comments!
xo
Ways to connect and work with Jody:
Come to the LIVE workshop in Utah this summer
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Learn how to really apply these lessons by joining the membership group
Watch the free 3-part video series
Invite her to speak to your ward or group
