“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho
When navigating major life changes it’s easy to become stuck. Change can be daunting. On the surface, we may be resisting change, but oftentimes, on a deeper level, there’s a strong desire for change that we’re actively resisting. That urge, that little seed buried deep within us, makes its way into the world. And at some point, that seed blossoms. It shatters our fears and presents us with a choice that we can no longer ignore. But what allows us to reach that moment of growth? Well, the epiphany that will spark your breakthrough is different than anyone else’s because we’re all unique.
There’s a moment in every person’s life journey where they experience a catalyst: an idea or realization which propels us, maybe even catapults us, forward when before it was introduced, we had thought we’d already reached our limitations. Sometimes that catalyst will come to us in the form of a book, or a song, or even a poem. It could be an email or a phone call, or a realization in the shower. For me, it occurred in 2007 after reading The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. This unassuming book, just under 180 pages, rocked my world and gave me the courage to radically move forward at a point in my life when I knew I could no longer continue on my current path, but I didn’t know the next steps I needed to take to forge a new one.
Sure, the story of Santiago, a young man who embarks on a journey to find the woman of his dreams, Fatima, is a story of love. However, it is also a story of self-mastery and finding the treasure within yourself. This book has always served as a powerful reminder that a sense of adventure coupled with hope, positivity, and patience are the required tools in your toolkit when you have a goal or a big dream you want to accomplish.
I have reread The Alchemist several times and each time I read it I am inspired by a different quote in the book. In my most recent reading, the following quote stood out to me: “That’s what alchemists do. They show that, when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too.”
As we all begin to chart a new course in the spring and summer of this year, take a moment to ask yourself: “What sources of inspiration led me to the major breakthroughs in my life?” In the past year, we were catapulted into uncharted territory. Now is the time for continued healing and restoration. Is it also time to revisit your past breakthroughs as you strive for a better future in this next chapter of life?