Life can be turned upside down exactly when we least expect it.
An accident or sudden illness. A death in the family. A job loss or a change of role you had not anticipated. Even a comment or piece of information that completely shifts your perception of how the world works and your place in it.
Sometimes, it can feel as though the rug has been pulled out from underneath you, leaving you floundering and wondering what to do next.
When I work with clients who are dealing with a crisis, we use the Compass and Map that forms the basis of my Blueprint for Resolution.
And the first – and most important – step on the journey forward from this point is to find your True North.
Your “True North” is your internal moral compass: the combination of your core values, deepest beliefs and guiding principles that keep you grounded and help you determine the right path for you.
In times of crisis or distress, the pressure to make a quick decision can build rapidly.
Other people may also jump in with their ideas, expectations and opinions – and sometimes even try to manipulate or coerce you into following a particular path.
In such moments, it is important to step back from the brink and give yourself the space to assess the situation for yourself.
Brian Tracy, the well-known motivational speaker, has described a simple approach to problem-solving: sit quietly, remove the distractions, and allow yourself to become still enough for clarity to emerge.
Once your thoughts begin to settle, start writing.
Rather than searching immediately for the answer, challenge yourself to come up with at least 20 possible solutions.
Then apply your True North criteria to each one.
Ask yourself:
- Which options are consistent with my core values?
- Which align with my principles?
- Where do I feel under pressure to choose a particular path?
- Who benefits most if I follow that path?
- How does each option actually feel when I imagine living with the consequences?
This process helps you move from reacting to responding.
Because when everything around you feels chaotic, your first instinct may be to act quickly simply to make the uncertainty stop.
But a quick and easy answer is not necessarily the right answer.
Moving from CHAOS to COHERENCE takes time, patience and persistence.
Your circumstances may have changed. Your world may have been turned upside down. But you still have a choice about how you respond—and the values that guide that choice.
Your True North can help you find your way forward.
If your world has recently been turned upside down and you are struggling to see the way ahead, take some time to pause, step back and reconnect with what matters most to you.
You do not have to navigate alone but you are the master of your destiny and it is up to you to decide.
AND don’t forget to ask “What Would Maurice Do?” – WATCH THE VIDEO TO FIND OUT!
–When life turns upside down –
– Simply adjust your view –