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Problems...We All Got 'Em!

by Mario A. Campanaro

Dear Artist,

by Mario A. Campanaro

We live in a day and age defined by "problems." Yes, problems! We all have them, and we all want to get rid of them. And, of course, our problems are always worse than that guy’s petty issues over there. On our initial quest to overcome these roadblocks, we often search for a quick fix that will make everything instantly okay. If that doesn’t work, then maybe it’s all in your head, and “Have you tried Prozac?” Frustration builds, muscles tighten, and we begin to blame everyone and everything to loosen our own responsibility for the life we are surviving.

So here we are, alone, stuck in a world of dilemma, as if we’re sinking in the quicksand of our souls. We suffocate under emotions of discouragement, despair, depression, anxiety, fear, anger, resentment, and, unfortunately, in many cases, the danger of hopelessness. Our problems become the bondage that holds us back from our greatest potential. Ugh, how do we get out of this mess? Let’s face it: Life is a complicated puzzle that requires diving into the unknown. Even when one part of the equation seems "solved," another storm comes to shake things up. We fight for survival, for stability, and for that idea of what we believe our life should—or at least could—be.

Then, we experience moments of frustration and fatigue from the continual search for answers to unanswerable questions. We taste painful moments of guttural tears because the desire to live life fully feels so limited. Then there’s the inexplicable isolation as we get swallowed by our own labyrinth of searching for salvation. What is happening? How did this happen? WTF?! Eventually, things become so complicated, so terrifying, so chaotic, that everything short-circuits… and everything stops. Suddenly, there is foreign silence. A strange peace. An unfamiliar perspective. We begin to breathe. We begin to surrender. We begin to connect with a divine intelligence within us that shifts the channel from “Why me?” to “OK, I’m listening.”

Our problems haven’t shown up as a punishment; in fact, quite the opposite. All this time, we’ve been running from what we’ve labeled as torture when it has actually been the spark that ignites our transmutation. When we finally let go, we realize that our problems are a gift of profound transformation. They force us to ask questions of ourselves that we wouldn’t normally ask. They make it possible to release things and relationships that no longer serve our highest good. They strengthen our will, deepen our faith, ignite our perseverance, and hold us accountable. They push us into the NOW, planting the seed for creativity that far exceeds what we ever thought possible. They open us mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

The truth is that the real miracle of all our obstacles is that they lead us on a journey home—a journey of self-love. They make us warriors for our own well-being, turning us into seekers of truth and authenticity. When we truly connect with and trust that place within ourselves, things start to shift. Suddenly, answers start showing up, easily and accurately. Health, peace, bliss, joy, happiness, creativity, realized dreams, abundance, and love become the byproducts of everything we once resisted.

So when life’s problems overwhelm us, and we ask ourselves, “What the hell does it take to get out of this mess?” the answer is and always has been YOU. Yes, YOU. It is all YOU. You have it all within you, and it’s greater than you’ve ever been led to believe.