What Are Problems, Exactly?
What are problems? What are their nature? Let's explore.
Zen. Not the spiritual pathway for those who seek enlightenment. My dog, Zen.
He poked his eye somehow. We took him to the animal eye specialist and turns out he hurt himself pretty bad. He requires surgery next week.
After Franck and Zen returned home from the animal eye specialist, I heard Spirit say, "Franck wanted to get to the bottom of his eye issues."
I walked in from the garden, into our dining room, and asked Franck, "Spirit says you've been meaning to get to the bottom of Zen's eye issues, is that true?"
He looked at me for a moment and nodded his head, "Yeah, for a while, actually. I just never got around to doing it."
You see, Zen had been bumping into things a lot. We think he's blind. He may not be. He may have some kind of issue. We just weren't sure.
The "problem" of bumping his eye opened the door to figuring out what really is going on with his vision. Yes, the surgery is going to cost about $1700. This wasn't a money issue - problems in life aren't money problems. I say that in my book The Money Formula. In fact, the issue was "What's going on with Zen's eyes?" The problem opened the door to finally get an answer to this question.
Zen is on medication while he awaits his surgery. He is also wearing a cone.
Franck took him for a walk this morning. The vet recommends that Zen wears a cone so that he does not bump into anything while outside. We don't want to risk any chance of further eye injury.
What Are Problems? Don't Get Pissed - Literally.
Later on in the day, Zen sat quietly on our Virgil Abloh/IKEA rug which is probably worth well over $1,000 by now. I ignored it and proceeded to do laundry in the garage. Minutes later, Franck walked outside and said, "Zen peed on the rug. Now that I think of it, he didn't pee while he was wearing his cone." He felt guilty for not realizing this.
I continued hanging my wet laundry up to dry. I said, "Well, you had been talking for a few months about having the rug cleaned. We can rent a cleaner today, clean it tomorrow, and be done with it."
Franck conceded to my point and went back inside.
What Are Problems? A Spirit Explains
I saw a male spirit standing in the garage. A tall blonde man. Thin. 40s. Similar to Franck. I don't know him, but he was there to help.
I asked him what he was doing there. He said he wanted to help Franck. I said, "OK, go for it."
This spirit explained to me what are problems and their reason, "The reason why people have so many problems is because they don't act on what they intend to set out to change. So, life presents problems which are mere indicators that say that this is the time to do that which you set out to do."
I went inside and told Franck. He said, "I remember you telling me something similar to this a while back when one of my colleagues had a heart attack. You said, 'He knows he wants to changes, needs to change, but he doesn't change. So, he had a heart attack which forced him to change. There was no other choice BUT to change."
We don't have to have problems in life. What are problems, then?
If we approach life on the premise that there are no problems in life, but merely doors to incite intentional change, then how can we feel bad about them?
When we understand the question "What are problems?" the only thing to do is to act on them. Not judge them, feel about about them, doubt ourselves and life...but to act on the intentional change that we set about mentally for ourselves some time ago.
If, in our mind, logically, we know the answers to our happiness, such as eat healthy, assume independence, have healthy relationships, love ourselves - then, every "problem" is the formula for which we arrive to that conclusion.
But, it's more important to say that we don't actually have to have problems in life. Rather, when we think about whatever it is that we need to change, we must BE the change and DO the change.
We shouldn't WAIT for life to present those doors. We should, ideally, act on opportunities and emotive impulses to guide us on the path of change. People won't eat healthily until they get fat, sick, or disgusted with themselves. Such problems are the door to intentional change. You know you want to change, but you don't. So life says, "Ok, now you're forced to change. Do it now."
Understanding What Are Problems Develops Our Self-Awareness
We have to be intuned with ourselves. We have to be aware and cognizant of life opportunities. And, if a "problem" e.g. door presents itself, walk through it with full abandon. Nothing bad can happen on the other side. Don't hesitate, don't doubt. Walk through.
What are problems, but merely doors for intentional change?