What are the different reasons that make situations and conditions seen as a 'Problem' or as a 'Challenge'?

I congratulate you to this excellent question and your additional details. This comes in the right moment to let me reflect about my situation and with this coming nearer to a solution. My situation: I had and still have the intention to form a group of people, who have come in their life to the conclusion, that they don't want to live any longer under the rules and with the goals of society. People who found their own lifestyle that is not based on money and material aspects, but with the intention to discover their inner world by finding out about themselves, knowing themselves and then living this consequently in their daily life, by being self responsible and not depending on any belief system or people. Being creative and doing things not only for themselves but for the common well being.

I created a physical place on an island in unspoiled nature and then was looking for such people. So for thirty five years people were coming and going up to this moment. There have been times, when there have been about twenty people living here, but not with the intention I had in mind... All those many years I have seen the happenings and all endless problems on all levels, as a challenge. But now I came to the point, when after all experiences, I'm nearly left alone. Needing to maintain this place with all the animals and plants is already enough for several people and then the frame work that can give resources and food for twenty people. Continuing all this doesn't make sense any more and I can't see it as a 'challenge'. For sure I have learned in this time much more than I would have in any occupation or profession in this society, but I'm at the point to give up to spend the last years of my life differently. But I'm still hesitating. Apart of my personal learning, growing and healing process, - was all this for nothing? I say to myself: If all the energy invested in this project now seems wasted, because there are no people to engage themselves into it, then I only can say: If the cosmos allows this to be wasted, then who am I to not accept this?

So after all fighting and struggling, seeing all happenings as a challenge, I understand that I still need to transform myself or better said that I need to allow that the transformation happens, what ever this might be.

Thank you for your question!

BeiYin

I experience the subject of your question strongly at my present life situation: I'm tired of people. I know that being with people is a challenge and I see it like this, but at the same time it is a problem because I simply have enough! Yes, I am aware that this has to do with my expectation how I would like people to be and then confronting people who are every thing else but not like this. Probably I don't want to see the reality and so clinging on an image that comes from my upbringing, when I was told that humans in their essence are good, honest, brave, caring, loving and all those other beautiful things. Now I am experiencing in a close encounter, that hardly anything of this is real and true. People are dishonest, they lie and pretend, they suck, steal and cheat whenever they can, they are cowered hiding or escaping, but not confronting a problem. Caring? They don't even take care of themselves, doing all kind of damaging things. Loving? They are projecting some emotions out of their needs and then call it 'love'. How can love exist between people like this?

That is the daily reality I have to deal with. So I need to protect myself constantly and I don't want this. I want to be open to people and have a real communication, - that seems not possible. People don't listen, they just want, in the best case, express themselves with the purpose to receive confirmation for their self image. I'm getting tired of this and don't want to be with people that suck my energy. That's my problem that I don't want this kind of challenge any more. What might be a creative solution?

Bomoon

Edit: This morning I woke up with depressions. I realize that I need an answer. When I answered your question, then something was moved within me but not solved. So I have ask a question just now and maybe one of you can answer me. Please! Go to: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=200911...

Any problem is a challenge to over come

A quote by Albert Einstein

“We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

Love & Blessings

Milly

The wide majority of people love their problems or they hate them, what doesn't make a difference because people cling on their problems, they are looking for them, even provoking them. These give them the opportunity to fight and to struggle, they can react and suffer, being disappointed to the last extreme. Mostly because situations and conditions are not like they would like to be them. So they try to change these, but things and other people are resistant and defend their state of being. That's our daily life! Isn't it?

What kind of games are going on with people? Why people don't take conditions and encounter as a challenge? Because fighting is producing all their reactions: thoughts and emotions, this gives them the feeling and experience of *existence*. Of course, this is an existence that is limited to their 'precious personality', what in reality is a 'lousy personality', but that's what people are identified with and they don't know something that might go beyond this, so they cling on it and ignore possible other spaces. Pretty silly, isn't it?

InkyPinkie

PS: Of course there are other aspects, this is just one...

If one is in a difficult situation and don't want to deal with it, then one has a problem. Not understanding that this is caused by ignoring the situation and ones attitude, will deepen the problem, up to the point where escaping or suppressing will not be possible. On the other side if one is willing to deal with a situation, then understanding it as a challenge, then one is open to the awareness of ones reactions in this situation and that might already brings the solution.

Isidora

Just the fact that you see a situation as a challenge and confront it using all your abilities, shows that you are on the right track. Even though you might not succeed, the most important is that you have engaged yourself and with this you have grown. We can see this on another level: When we use our muscles, then these become stronger and even though we could not lift this heavy object, then when tying again and again, the muscles strengthen and then one day you can lift this object without 'problem'. So, just go on, doing your best you can and even all fails, you will arrive at a goal you still don't know that it exist!

Hu

You solve a problem. You conquer a challenge.