Have you ever felt like everything in your life was falling apart at once? Maybe your relationship ended, you lost your job, or you’re dealing with a health scare. Perhaps you can’t even pinpoint what’s wrong – you just feel like the ground has shifted beneath your feet, leaving you completely untethered.
If this sounds familiar, I have some news that might surprise you: these moments of external chaos are actually invitations to come home to yourself.
When the Walls Come Tumbling Down
We naturally build our sense of security around external things. Our relationships, our careers, our homes, our routines – these become the scaffolding that holds up our identity. But what happens when that scaffolding starts to shake?
Most of us panic. We scramble to fix what’s broken, to rebuild what’s fallen, to get back to “normal” as quickly as possible. And while that’s a completely human response, we might be missing something profound in our rush to repair.
These disruptions are showing us exactly where we’ve been placing our sense of safety – and they’re revealing that we’ve been looking in the wrong places.
The Sun Behind the Clouds
Here’s what I’ve learned through my own seasons of upheaval: there’s something within you that remains untouched by external circumstances. Call it your essence, your inner light, your core self – whatever resonates with you.
Think about the sun for a moment. When clouds roll in or night falls, we don’t assume the sun has disappeared. We know it’s still there, still shining, just temporarily hidden from view. Your inner stability works the same way.
Even when everything around you feels uncertain, that steady presence within you never actually goes anywhere.
The Gift Hidden in the Chaos
I know it doesn’t feel like a gift when you’re in the thick of it. When your world is in shambles, the last thing you want to hear is that it’s “an opportunity for growth.” But bear with me here.
These difficult periods force us to stop relying so heavily on external validation and security. They push us to discover what remains when everything else falls away. And what remains is always, always enough.
Coming Home to Yourself
So how do you actually do this? How do you find your center when everything feels off-balance?
Start small. In moments of overwhelm, take three deep breaths and ask yourself: “What do I know to be true right now?” Not about your circumstances, but about who you are beneath all the chaos.
Practice stillness. Even five minutes of quiet reflection can help you reconnect with that steady presence within. You don’t need to meditate like a monk – just sit quietly and listen for what’s always been there.
Trust the process. Your external world will eventually find its new equilibrium. But when it does, you’ll relate to it differently. You’ll lean on it more lightly, knowing that your true home was never “out there” to begin with.
The Light That Never Dims
The beautiful thing about discovering your inner compass is that once you know it’s there, you can never really forget. Sure, you might lose sight of it temporarily when life gets intense. But you’ll always be able to find your way back.
And here’s the real magic: when you stop depending so heavily on external circumstances for your well-being, you become free to engage with life from a place of strength rather than desperation.
Your relationships become more authentic. Your work becomes more meaningful. Your sense of peace becomes less fragile.
Your Turn
The next time life throws you a curveball – and it will – I invite you to remember this: the chaos around you isn’t your enemy. It’s pointing you toward the one place where true stability has always lived.
Right there, in the bright, unchanging light of who you really are.
What external support systems have you been leaning on? How might you begin to cultivate more trust in your inner stability? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
