Sometimes all it takes is one plane ride to have a complete and utter nervous breakdown. There’s nowhere to go, nowhere to hide—you’re left to confront the brutal facts of your reality. I’ve coached my clients through this for years, often saying, “Every breakdown leads to a breakthrough.” But two weeks ago, it was my turn to learn that breakdowns lead to breakthroughs firsthand.
I was boarding a plane to Syracuse for the MPS Annual Enhancement Retreat, pumped to be part of such an amazing community of 100 attendees ready to transform their businesses. Then my phone rang—it was my husband. “I’ve been laid off,” he said, “and there’s no severance pay.” In an instant, my excitement turned to panic.
Why Breakdowns Lead to Breakthroughs
As I took my seat on the plane, I had a complete breakdown. For the next hour and 20 minutes, I bawled my eyes out. Every worry, panic, and fear I had about the future rushed through me—“What if?” “How are we going to manage?” “What about insurance?” The businessman next to me sat frozen as I let it all out. This moment was proof that breakdowns lead to breakthroughs, but only if we allow ourselves to experience them fully.
Once I deplaned in O’Hare for my connecting flight, I sat in a state of exhaustion, completely empty. The raw emotion had been released, leaving me in a place of quiet calm. By letting myself feel the full extent of the breakdown, I was able to clear my mind and move through it.
The Importance of Embracing Breakdowns
So often, we receive devastating news and jump straight back on the hamster wheel, avoiding the emotions that come with it. But if we don’t allow ourselves the time to fully feel the breakdown, that pent-up emotion will spill over in the most inappropriate ways—often on the wrong person. But as hard as it is to embrace, breakdowns lead to breakthroughs when we sit with our emotions, process them, and let ourselves just be.
By sitting with my emotions, I was able to process them, letting myself just be. Only then could I wake up the next day, fully present for the 100 attendees at the retreat, and deliver an impactful event. This is what it means to accept that breakdowns lead to breakthroughs.
The Simple Formula for Breakthroughs
We all want to go from crisis to breakthrough instantly, but it’s not possible without first navigating the breakdown. The key is to not flee from the emotions or immediately try to solve the crisis. Here’s the simple formula:
- Breakdown – Allow yourself to feel the emotions completely.
- Just Be – Sit in the emotions, and don’t rush to solutions.
- Awake to the Breakthrough – Once you’ve processed the emotions, clarity and growth will follow.
This formula highlights how breakdowns lead to breakthroughs, but only when we take the time to face the hard emotions head-on.
Embrace How Breakdowns Lead to Breakthroughs
Following this formula helped me show up fully for my clients, free from the anxiety and panic I had just released. Breakdowns lead to breakthroughs, but only when we’re willing to confront the hard emotions and let them flow. Only by going into the dark can we come out richer and more empowered on the other side.
If you’re struggling with a breakdown—whether it’s business-related or personal—don’t avoid it. Reach out for support. Discover more tips and resources at fire.h50.us/~hrgnmpwr/dev2/ to help guide you through your own breakthroughs.
