One of the opportunities, and challenges, of being human is that we come equipped with a rather temperamental biological machine. Every now and then it misfires.
Most of us think about the obvious moments. The terrible embarrassment of wetting ourselves, getting sick, or having our body betray us in some public way. Those are not pleasant memories. They are the kind that make you want to crawl under a rock.
But there are other versions of this same malfunction.
Sometimes we emotionally vomit on someone we care about.
Sometimes we spiritually wet ourselves when fear takes over.
Sometimes we intellectually melt down when our beliefs collide with reality.
None of these are experiences we seek out. Yet in my life, many of these uncomfortable moments have been great turning points.
Biologically we learn what we should not eat.
Emotionally we begin to recognize our trigger points.
Spiritually we discover where the strain and resistance are hiding.
Intellectually we uncover the places where our thinking is incongruent.
These moments feel humiliating in the moment, but they are often the places where the real learning happens.
When life hands us one of these episodes of “wetting ourselves,” I find it helpful to return to the simple rules we learned in kindergarten.
- Say please.
- Say thank you.
- And when you make a mistake, say I am sorry.
Then clean it up, stand back up, and keep moving forward.
Life is a long journey of soul expansion, deep learning, and gaining context. The victories feel wonderful when we stand on the podium with the victor’s crown, but those moments are only half of the story.
The other half is found in the uncomfortable, messy moments where we discover something about ourselves that we did not see before.
Maybe, just maybe, we should learn to appreciate those moments too.
Blessings to you today for growth, learning, and context.
With clarity,
Rich Christiansen
Whenever you’re ready, here are some other ways I can help you:
The Values Blueprint Guided Experience – A step by step journey to help you clearly define your core values, create personal doctrine, and move from force into flow. Includes the full Values Blueprint and guided video walkthroughs.
Free Tools to help Calm the Chaos – Practical frameworks and tools designed to help you regain clarity, steadiness, and alignment in everyday life.
Legado Family– A framework and community centered on strengthening family systems, legacy, and generational integrity.
