Not The Sign You Wanted

Sometimes you’ll ask for a sign in life.  Maybe you’re struggling with a decision and you’re trying to decide which way to go.  So, you ask for a sign.  You ask for the divine guidance to help you come to a decision.  You give it over to the universe and ask for help to guide you.  But, what if you get the sign you didn’t want?  Maybe you go that direction anyway or you disregard it and say that wasn’t the sign while you wait for a sign of what you really want to happen.  Here is what you can do when it is not the sign you wanted.

The Sign

Maybe you’ve been really hoping something will happen.  Such as, achieving your goal.  You ask for guidance, a sign, direction, etc.  But, the sign you received was not what you wanted.  You have two options.  One, accept the sign and move forward anyway.  You feel sad that it wasn’t what you had hoped.  Or, you ignore the sign and hold out hope for the sign you’ve been looking for.  However, when you opt for the second option, you’re wishing for something that wasn’t meant to be yours in this moment.

Doubt

Perhaps you do still keep looking for the alternative that you’ve been hoping for.  You hold out for any slim possibility that it might happen.  You keep watching and waiting.  But, deep down you start to lose hope.  You begin to think maybe this goal isn’t meant to be yours.  Self doubt kicks in and you question your path.  All of your fears, doubts, and worries creep in.  It’s overwhelming and consuming your thoughts.  Yet, the other option is to just accept the sign for what it’s worth and be at peace with it.

Acceptance

Do not disregard or avoid the sign.  The sign may be to hold off for now.  It’s a not yet.  It does not mean forever.  It’s protection and guiding you on your journey.  For whatever reason it’s not right now.  It could be this is to save you money, prevent further heartbreak, and ultimately keep you the path to where you’re supposed be.  What you wanted was not meant to happen right here, right now.  But, that does not mean that it won’t happen sometime in the future.  Maybe you have more to learn or there is something bigger and better waiting for you instead.  Accept the sign for what it is.

Surrender

Next, take back some of your control by surrendering to what you can’t control.  There are things in life that no matter how much you plan or prepare, life is going to go differently.  Sometimes that’s in the completely opposite direction of what you had thought.  Embrace it.  Don't fight it or lose hope.  Just surrender and keep moving forward.

Patience

Then, have patience.  Trust and believe that good things are coming.  Just because what you wanted did not come to fruition, does not mean that what you wanted was completely ignored.  Rather, the universe has a bigger plan for you.  Your message of what you wanted was received loud and clear.  However, sometimes what you see is too small of the picture.  There is a bigger picture at work here that you cannot see.  It is far greater than you have ever imagined.  You have to be patient and trust that you are being led to where you are meant to be.  This might not be on your timeline or through your exact steps planned out on your roadmap.  Be patient.  Trust and have faith that there is a greater plan.

Something Better

Now, although you did not receive the sign you wanted, you must have patience and trust that whatever is in store for you is worth the wait.  You either get what you wanted or something better.  Remember the phrase, it’s this or something better.  Accept the sign and then trust that what’s in store for you is far better than you could have ever expected.

The truth is, what you wanted may be just a small blip in the big scheme of things.  You were not meant to walk down that path for whatever reason.  Accept it and move forward.  Stop holding out hope for something that was not meant to be yours in this moment.  Trust that you are being guided down the path that is truly meant for you.  What’s meant to be yours will be yours.

Take Action Challenge

Make Peace With The Sign 

Step 1: Name The Sign

Think about something in your life that didn't turn out the way you hoped it would.

Maybe you didn't get the opportunity, relationship, outcome, or answer you wanted.

Write it down.

Then ask yourself, what sign or message have you been given that you don't really want to accept?

Be honest about whether you've been trying to reinterpret, ignore, or wait for a different answer.

Step 2: Practice Acceptance

Instead of immediately trying to change the situation, write down, right now, this is not happening the way I wanted it to.

Notice what emotions come up.

Maybe sadness, fear, worry, doubt etc.

You don't have to be happy about it.  Acceptance doesn't mean you stop caring about what you wanted.

It simply means you're willing to stop fighting what you can't control.

Step 3: Release The Timeline

Write down what you thought should happen and when you thought it should happen.

Then ask yourself,

• What are you trying to control?
• What would happen if you stopped forcing the outcome?
• Could this be a “not yet” rather than a “never”?
• What might you be unable to see from where you are right now?

Give yourself permission to release your exact timeline.

Step 4: Look For What This Is Teaching You

Even if you don't understand why something didn't work out, you can still learn from it.

Ask yourself, what could this experience be teaching you, protecting you from, or preparing you for?

Don't force yourself to come up with a positive answer.

Simply stay open to the possibility that there is more to the story than you can currently see.

Step 5: Choose Your Next Step

Acceptance doesn't mean sitting still and waiting for life to happen.

Choose one action you can take toward your life or goals without needing to know exactly how everything will turn out.

Move forward while leaving room for the possibility that your path may look different than what you had originally imagined.

This might not be what you expected, but trust yourself to keep moving forward.