Balancing on the Edge of the Cliff Without Falling
“Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation.”
Every life is filled with life-changing moments. How we address our challenges determines the quality of our lives moving forward. I gained a new perspective on how to view and address life-changing situations from the helpful book by Jim Collins, What to Make of a Life. Collins describes a life-shaking moment as a “cliff.” Some cliffs are minor, while others are “major” or even “mega cliffs.” No one will be able to avoid life’s cliffs. Often, in cliff moments, the only control we have is how we respond.
For Jim Collins, recognizing that you are having a cliff moment is vital. The death of a loved one, the termination of a job, or a health crisis are just three examples of the vast number of cliff moments we will experience. Most people respond to the cliff with an emotional fog. When the human mind is overwhelmed and cannot process the overwhelming crisis, our brain moves into survival mode and checks out for a time, placing us in a fog. How we move out of the fog and into the light is determined by what Collins calls “framing.”
When the fog lifts enough for us to see the sky again, we begin to focus. The sky is too vast to see it all in one view. Instead, we must decide which part of the sky to focus on. Our sky consists of the areas of life that need our attention after the cliff and fog moments recede. It is like taking an empty frame, moving it around the sky, until you find the spot you want to focus your life on. Trying to look at and do everything will leave you overwhelmed and stuck in place. The frame directs your attention to areas of your life you value and can enhance.
I appreciate Jim Collins’ clear descriptions of cliff, fog, and frame, because they visually delineate a process of healing in painful moments. If you’ve been fortunate and haven’t had a mega cliff experience, prepare, because huge cliff moments are inevitable. Instead of fearfully ignoring the cliffs, prepare for them. Reflect on how you respond to stress and how you overcome emotional anxiety. Picture yourself gathering your emotions and moving through the fog. Then, envision yourself praying through the process, allowing God to help you lift your frame in the direction most needed for you to move forward with renewed hope. Pain is inevitable, but with God’s support, you will reframe your direction and continue to live meaningfully.
