Stay Focused On Your Goals While Dealing With Adversity & Toxic Relationships

Namita Purohit Author

Goals help you deal with difficult emotions and ignore the disturbances that come up within a toxic relationship. Always look for a higher purpose

Staying focused on your goals is essential, particularly in challenging situations such as living in a toxic relationship. It can be easy to get swept up in the negativity and chaos around you, but having a clear goal in mind can help you stay focused and motivated. In this article, we'll explore how having a goal can help you stay on track and achieve success, even when things are tough.

• Firstly, having a goal gives you direction and purpose. When you have a goal, you know where you're headed and what you want to achieve. This clarity of purpose can help you stay focused, even when things get difficult. It can give you a sense of control and help you feel like you're making progress towards something important.
• Secondly, having a goal can help you stay motivated. When you have something to work towards, it can be easier to find the energy and enthusiasm to keep going. Your goal can provide a source of inspiration and a reason to keep pushing through the challenges. When you feel like giving up, reminding yourself of your goal can give you the boost you need to keep moving forward.
• Thirdly, having a goal can help you prioritize your time and energy. When you have a clear goal in mind, you can make better decisions about how to spend your time and energy. You can focus on the things that are most important to you and avoid getting distracted by things that don't matter. This can help you stay on track and make progress towards your goal, even in challenging circumstances.
• Finally, having a goal can help you stay positive and optimistic. When you're focused on something important, it can be easier to see the good in situations, even when things are tough. You can find meaning and purpose in the challenges you're facing, knowing that they're helping you grow and move closer to your goal.

Examples of Goals People Have:

• Career goals: This can include getting a promotion, starting a new job, or changing careers.
• Educational goals: This can include getting a degree, taking a course or workshop, or learning a new skill.
• Health and fitness goals: This can include losing weight, running a marathon, or improving overall health and well-being.
• Financial goals: This can include saving for retirement, paying off debt, or starting a business.
• Personal growth goals: This can include improving self-esteem, overcoming fears, or developing new hobbies or interests.
• Relationship goals: This can include improving communication with a partner, finding a romantic partner, or strengthening relationships with family and friends.
• Travel goals: This can include visiting new countries, exploring different cultures, or taking a road trip.
• Philanthropic goals: This can include volunteering, donating to charity, or raising awareness for a cause.
• Spiritual Goals: This can include deepening one's spiritual practice, developing a stronger connection to a higher power or source of inspiration, or finding greater meaning and purpose in life. Spiritual goals may involve regular meditation or prayer, attending religious or spiritual services, practicing mindfulness, or engaging in acts of service or charity that align with one's spiritual beliefs. For some, spiritual goals may involve exploring new beliefs and traditions or questioning long-held beliefs and assumptions. Whatever form it takes, pursuing spiritual goals can help individuals to find greater inner peace, fulfillment, and a sense of connection to something larger than themselves.

Material Goals vs Spiritual Goals : Which One Grants You Lasting Bliss?

In today's world, many people are focused on achieving material goals such as wealth, fame, and power. They believe that these things will bring them happiness and fulfillment in life. However, the truth is that material goals can never give deep and lasting happiness. One may achieve their material goals, but they will eventually get bored or depressed after some time.

On the other hand, spiritual goals of connecting with the Lord and serving others in spirituality, devotional service, give lasting and eternal pleasure to the heart. When we focus on our spiritual identity and connection with the Lord, we experience a deep sense of inner peace, joy, and fulfillment. It is through spiritual practices such as chanting, meditation, and acts of service that we can experience true happiness that is not dependent on external circumstances.

The more we nurture our spiritual identity, the more we become detached from material possessions and desires. We understand that they are temporary and fleeting, and only serve as distractions from our ultimate purpose in life. By serving others in spirituality, we are able to connect with their spiritual essence, which is eternal and unchanging. This brings a deep sense of fulfillment and joy to our hearts, which cannot be attained through material pursuits.

In addition to providing lasting happiness, spiritual goals can also help us ride over adversities. When we face difficult times, our material goals may become irrelevant or even exacerbate the situation. However, our spiritual goals can provide a deep sense of purpose and meaning, and help us navigate challenging circumstances with greater resilience and fortitude. By focusing on service to the Lord and to others, we can shift our perspective from a self-centered view to one that encompasses the well-being of all living beings. This can provide a sense of solace and peace even in the midst of difficulties, as we understand that we are part of a greater whole, and that our efforts towards the betterment of others are ultimately meaningful and valuable.

While material goals may seem appealing, they can never provide lasting happiness. Only by nurturing our spiritual identity and connecting with the Lord through devotional service, can we experience true happiness and fulfillment in life. Let us focus on our spiritual growth, and make a positive impact on the world by serving others in spirituality.

Dhruva Maharaj's Story

Dhruva Maharaj's story is a remarkable example of how one can stay focused on their goals even in the face of adversity. Dhruva was a young prince who was mistreated by his stepmother and denied his rightful place as heir to the throne. Driven by a desire to prove himself and gain his father's love, Dhruva embarked on a journey of self-discovery and spiritual awakening. His mother's toxicity played a significant role in his journey towards achieving his goals.

Initially, Dhruva was filled with anger towards his mother for the way she treated him. However, instead of letting that anger consume him, he channeled it towards a material goal of wanting a kingdom greater than his grandfather. Guided by Narada Muni and his mother he went to the forest and focused on meditating on the Lord as he was told that was the means to get the kingdom. He used his anger as a driving force to motivate himself and stay focused on his goal. This shows how having a clear and specific goal in mind can help one channel their negative emotions into positive action.

Dhruva's mother's toxicity also played a role in his decision to leave the palace and seek spiritual enlightenment in the forest.

Despite facing many challenges and setbacks along the way, Dhruva remained focused and determined in his pursuit of his goal. He followed a strict regimen of austerities and spiritual practices, which helped him to cultivate a sense of inner strength and focus. He did not let his mother's toxicity or his own negative emotions deter him from his path.

Dhruva's original cause was childish as he was asking God to become his order supplier, but the Supreme Lord is kind, and even if one approaches Him for material desires, he eventually gets the opportunity to become a lover of God. As he meditated, the Lord's form disappeared from his heart, but appeared before him in reality. He was unable to offer proper prayers and profound respects due to being a small boy. The Lord touched His conchshell to Dhruva's head and understood his emotions.

Though Dhruva had materialistic demands before seeing the Lord, his prayers were offered in the mood of pure devotional service after seeing the Lord. The Lord fulfilled all his desires, including ruling over a unique imperishable planet. The Lord awarded him the glowing planet known as the Pole Star, which will continue to exist even after the dissolution of the universe at the end of the millennium. No one has ever ruled over this planet, which is surrounded by all the solar systems, planets, and stars.

Dhruva Maharaj's Realization

Dhruva realized that his original desires were childish and compared himself to a person who wins the favor of a very rich man but foolishly asks for only a few grains of rice. He finally desired simply to be a servant of Krsna, and the Lord wished Dhruva to take a spiritual planet within this universe and be its ruler.

Dhruva Maharaj's story teaches us that having a clear goal in mind can help us stay focused and motivated, even in the face of adversity. His mother's toxicity played a significant role in his journey towards achieving his goals, but he did not let it consume him. Instead, he channeled his negative emotions into positive action and remained steadfast in his pursuit of self-realization. Dhruva's story serves as an inspiration to all those who wish to stay focused on their goals, despite facing challenging circumstances.

It also shows that even if we begin with materialistic desires, if we direct them towards the Supreme Lord and engage in pure devotional service, we can ultimately attain spiritual perfection and eternal happiness.

akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ

tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena yajeta puruṣaṁ param

A person who has broader intelligence, whether he be full of all material desire, without any material desire, or desiring liberation, must by all means worship the supreme whole, the Personality of Godhead.- Srimad Bhagavatam 2.3.10

Conclusion

Having clear and meaningful goals is not only important for success in any situation, but also for leading a fulfilling and purposeful life. While material goals may provide temporary pleasure, they do not offer lasting happiness and may even lead to boredom and depression over time. On the other hand, spiritual goals such as connecting with the Lord and serving Him and His devotees can provide eternal and deep satisfaction to the heart. In times of adversity, having a strong spiritual identity and clear goals can also provide the strength and resilience to overcome challenges and stay focused on the path towards self-realization. Therefore, it is essential to prioritize spiritual goals in our lives and to cultivate a deep and meaningful relationship with the Lord.

How can we help?

At EASE Life Coaching we have helped many clients become more solid in themselves by helping them develop other aspects of their material identity and go deeper in their spiritual identity. It has also helped them nurture their marriage and work on their purpose. Sign up here to get expert coaching from Team EASE Coaches/ Namita Purohit

Categories: Narcissism, Personal Growth