The universe hasn’t just gotten my attention this month—it’s bitch-slapped me awake. Okay, universe, I hear you.

You clearly have something that you want me to pay attention to, and I’m fully awake and ready to receive whatever message you’re trying not-so-subtly to drop on me.

I’m a sensitive person. I’m very direct about that. I would say that in the last month I’ve become hyper-sensitive. However, I feel like I’ve finally traced it back to the source.

I’ve been on a journey of personal growth. I’ve been learning and growing, and now the universe is making sure that I’ve actually absorbed all of the lessons along the way by testing me. It’s made for a month that’s so far beyond challenging that I’m struggling to even find an appropriate word for it.

Hell.

That’s the word I was looking for; this month has been hell.

If this is a test, I think I’m failing. I’m certainly not acing it. I’ve cried buckets, and maybe that doesn’t seem extreme, but I’m not a girl who cries all that often.

I’ve just been leaking tears and having all of these feelings that won’t quit coming. I’ve been struggling. My light has dimmed, and I don’t know why except that there is something I need to deal with that I haven’t yet. I am acknowledging that there is more work for me to do, and I’m ready. From that point of view, perhaps I’m not failing at all.

Now I just need to figure out the message.

When the universe is trying to get our attention, we may not instantly know why. We may not have a single clue. We just know that we’re being prepared for something. When this happens, we need to take the time to prepare ourselves.

We need to get as much rest as we can and eat healthy food. We need to spend time with our loved ones. We need to find time to laugh and time just to relax. We need to do our yoga, meditate or pray to find our center. We need to find to our inner peace in whatever way we can because this part can often feel ominous. There can be signs hitting us from every direction that something is coming, and we need to make sure that we’re in a balanced and healthy place to meet the challenge, blessing or life change head on.

It’s taking some time for me. It’s taken most of the month to stop focusing on the signs long enough to see the bigger picture, the sign that my attention is needed. I was focusing on each event that happened like isolated incidents when clearly they’re all part of a whole plan to wake me up. Well, I’m certainly paying attention now. I’m taking the time to do the work of preparing myself for whatever is coming. This is the challenge within the change: to continue to open ourselves up to what life brings us.

When we struggle, when we feel like the way forward isn’t exactly filled with hope, we can remember that the path of following our dreams and listening to our hearts has never been an easy one.

We can remind ourselves that the struggle is a part of the journey, and our lives are about the journey itself. We’re preparing ourselves to receive amazing opportunities and incredible blessings, but yes, we’re going to struggle in the process. Eventually, we’ll learn to lean into that struggle rather than resisting it.

We’ll learn not to become attached so much to our own idea of how things should happen but accept that what is ours will always be ours. And what isn’t, never will be. And one day we might find some peace in that. But first we have to see the signs. We have to realize that when we’re struggling through days, weeks, or months of difficulty, that is a sign that there’s a change that needs to be made. Or one that is coming for us.

We’re being given the benefit of a heads up by the universe to get our sh*t together before it happens. And we can learn to find gratitude in the fact that we’re aware enough to see this. We can learn to look for these signs rather than fear them because it’s often a very positive change that’s coming. This isn’t a dark omen or evil portent. Instead, it’s the universe letting us know that we’re on the right path. Our dreams, the yearning of our hearts, are soon to be realized.

So we need to wake up. To listen. To care for ourselves. And to know that what is ours is soon to be made clear.

~

Author: Crystal Jackson

Images: Oscar Keys/Unsplash

Editor: Travis May