I write this as a tribute to anyone who has experienced severe wake up calls (referred to by some as ‘accidents’), and a gentle reminder that it’s okay. You’re more than okay. You’re clearing your path to new awareness and what you truly desire. Here’s my story:

I was in Vancouver enjoying a glorious April afternoon drive back from the North Shore to the West End in the passenger seat of a friend’s car. We were happily engaged in conversation coasting along Denman Street, when a car almost sideswiped us from an alley coming up to the light at Robson Street.

I couldn’t make out exactly how close he stopped by my side of the car, although the driver’s eyes were certainly within clear view.

My heart rate sped up a bit although I kept my cool (I only know one other person who would keep calm in a situation like that).

My friend’s temper rose as he hit the brakes and swore at the driver, while I took off my sunglasses, looked the man straight in the eyes, smiled, and cautioned with my hand as I mouthed, “Slow down.”

The man looked like he’d just received an intravenous injection of extra bold coffee. He seemed oblivious to the fact that he might just have hurt someone, and perhaps even himself.

My friend’s temper waned a few blocks after we drove off. I wondered what our respective wake up calls were, as I thanked providence for protecting us from physical harm.

It’s easy to think someone is at fault and point the finger. But the truth is…

Accidents are no accident.

They are wake up calls from our subconscious mind. It’s up to us to uncover what each one is for us, and then clear our patterns or limiting beliefs so we are free of ‘road blocks,’ which is what these situations usually represent.

I took this incident as an opportunity to be more alert to my surroundings, and a reminder of how well protected I am. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Now, it’s okay to release the nervous energies that may come up if something happens. Remember this is happening through you, not to you. So allow yourself to move through it.

What happened ‘to’ you does not define you. It’s an experience you went through, it’s not your identity. Turn your past into a classroom. – Robert Holden

While you take a moment to relax and gather yourself, trust that you’ve given yourself an opportunity to let go of old fears and inhibitions.

Your natural, old reactions may be to hunker down and feed the fear. You might want beat yourself up over something. Not feel good enough. Think karma’s a bitch, and you’re getting paid back for something you did. Give a ‘valid’ reason not to show up for yourself in new ways…

Stop. Change gears.

Spare yourself the adrenaline rush of dramatic situations.

Yes, we get what we think of most of the time.

Yes, thought is cause and outcome is effect (aka ‘karma’) – now you can stop feeling like you may have brought something negative onto yourself, engage new thoughts and bring something new to the table for you to enjoy.

You’re alive. You’re awake. You can find new awareness in healthier ways, can’t you?

Of course you can…

How are you choosing to release yourself now from the blocks of the past, and move forward consciously, with safety and ease?

Green light. Move along now, with ease and awareness.

Karin