8 crucial signs the universe is testing you (and what to do about it)

The only thing any of us can guarantee about life is that there are no guarantees.

Experiences and situations can come up that wear us down to our last shred of willpower.

Here’s how to know if the universe is testing you and what you can do to come out the other side a stronger and wiser person.

1) You get thrown for a loop when you least expect it

One of the top signs the universe is testing you is that everything suddenly changes when you least expect it.

A classic example would be that you’re planning to move in a month when you suddenly find out you have a serious illness…

Or that you suddenly find out you’re losing your job right at the moment when you were just planning a big new purchase you’d been dreaming of for years.

You have your plans. The universe has its own plans. When the two meet, you tend to either adapt and learn, or crash and burn.

What to do about it

When the universe throws you a curveball, you need to shift your stance. Avoid drinking the cheap wine of tragedy as much as possible.

This may be a situation where you’re genuinely a victim of bad luck or tragedy. But don’t focus on how unlucky you are.

As Utopia author Saint Thomas More put it:

“You must not abandon ship because you cannot control the winds.”

2) You feel worthless and disempowered

Just at the time you feel least able to deal with it, the universe will often send a situation your way that gets you down to your last nerve.

One of the most common examples is when you are feeling terrible about yourself and your own worth.

You feel like dirt and see signs of it everywhere. You just wish you’d catch a “lucky break” or get the recognition you deserve.

Then the universe comes along and gives you the exact opposite.

You get a heaping dose of humiliation; assholes flip you off in traffic and your boss says you’re useless. It’s one thing after another sometimes, isn’t it?

What to do about it

As if to call your bluff, the universe will often give you a smokescreen of mistreatments that seem to confirm you’re a powerless dunce.

But it’s not true! It’s a test…

So what can you do to get your power back?

Start by recognizing the incredible power within you.

You see, all of us have the potential to get through the curveballs the universe throws at us, but most of us don’t realize how easily we can achieve what we want.

I learned this from the shaman Rudá Iandê. He’s dedicated his life to helping people restore balance to their lives and live life with passion at the heart of everything they do.

But that’s not all…

Rudá isn’t just an average shaman. He uses an incredibly effective approach that combines ancient shamanic techniques with a modern-day twist. He knows how to tap into his pool of potential and power, and now he wants to share these life-changing methods with you.

In his excellent free video, Rudá shares the secret to aligning work, family, spirituality, and love. Once you have this balance, there’s no limit to what you can achieve.

So if you’re ready to make that change today, to put self-doubt behind you and start living your best life, you need to check out his genuine advice.

Click here to watch the free video.

3) Being forced to stop doing something you love doing

Another of the most crucial signs the universe is testing you is that you are suddenly forced to stop doing something you love.

Common examples include a drastic injury right before you’re about to compete in an all-important tournament…

A change of life circumstances that forces you to leave a job you love and take a job you really strongly dislike…

The loss of a home you’ve always lived in or the destruction of your old neighborhood through gentrification, pollution or crime…

It can feel like Hell is raining down on you…

For no apparent reason!

What are you supposed to do now that your passions and closest bonds in this universe have been torn away?

What to do about it

First off, give yourself time and space to deal with the hard experiences you’re going through. There’s no race or requirement to feel “normal” at a certain point.

You’re allowed to hurt, grieve and feel angry as Hell.

But eventually the only real response to having something you love taken away from you like a passion, home or job is to find a new one.

Do whatever you can to adapt, because the universe is testing your resiliency and forcing you to become stronger and survive this sudden fallout.

4) You feel emotionally and spiritually confused by life’s changes

Do you ever wish you could just hit a giant PAUSE button on life?

Like take a minute or two to sit and think or meditate without getting hungry, annoyed or distracted by some other thing that comes up?

Just like…two hours…to figure out why your life makes…zero sense!

I know the feeling.

The thing with life and its rapidly-changing events is that not a single one of us gets a pause button.

You can take a boat to the most remote island in Indonesia and take time off work, but your inbox will keep filling up…

Your parents will keep aging…

And your relationships will keep evolving (or devolving) even while you’re basking in the sun!

That’s why getting some guidance on why your life is going the way it is can be so crucial and come in just the nick of time before you make a wrong turn.

What to do about it

The signs above and below in this article will give you a good idea if the universe is testing you.

Or whether you’re just having a rough go of it recently for unrelated reasons…

Even so, speaking to a real psychic will give you more clarity.

But how can you find a psychic you trust? In this day and age, it’s so important to stay away from fake ones.

I recently tried Psychic Source after going through a bad break up. They provided me with a unique insight into where my life was going, including who I was meant to be with.

I was actually blown away by how caring, compassionate and knowledgeable they were. You can read my colleague Tiffany Mcgee’s Psychic Source review here.

Not only will a genuine psychic tell you whether someone really is thinking about you, but they can also reveal all your love possibilities.

Click here to get your own psychic reading.

5) Unfair judgments from others get in the way of your life and love

Sometimes the universe tests you with the idiocy of others around you.

It’s not like God or the universe just pops up on your phone or computer and tells you that you suck to test how you’ll react and respond…

No, the universe tends to send human emissaries for this task. And it has a big arsenal to draw from.

Petty and angry drivers…

Annoying and humorless coworkers…

Heartless government bureaucrats and crabby supermarket workers…

Even members of your own family who might just pick today to tell you that you’re full of shit or a loser…

Well, nice to know, right?

These sudden judgments that you’re not sufficient can really hit home if you’re already having trouble with self-esteem.

What to do about it

If you let other people control your frame you will have a bad life.

Now, I’m not saying to walk blithely hither and thither ignoring any negativity you hear. That actually is idiotic.

What I’m saying is that every time somebody gets personal with you about why you suck, take it with a big grain of salt.

That’s their experience and their perspective. Fine. It’s usually motivated by many things other than you actually being a jerk or asshole.

But even if it’s something you deserve, it’s not a label that has to stick forever. We’re all dynamic creatures, remember that…

6) The universe sends you a brutal warning in a way you don’t expect

One of the ways the universe tests you is by sending you a warning and seeing if you listen.

The most common ways the universe does this is the following:

  • Seeing a loved one or close friend get seriously ill
  • Tuning into the news as a tragic story unfolds
  • Repeatedly hearing warnings about something that you shouldn’t do from various unconnected sources

We all have many experiences we see around us that don’t really serve as a warning for us.

The way to tell is if something keeps being presented to you that relates to an upcoming decision you are making.

For example, are you considering a sizable investment in a tech stock and keep seeing news stories pop up about a past bust in the tech bubble…

It could be a sign from the universe that you need to check yourself!

The universe is checking your humility and ability to listen. It’s really that simple.

What to do about it

It could be a sign from the universe that you need to check yourself!

If you’re seeing warnings about an upcoming decision or situation you’re facing, consider that it could relate directly to you.

The universe is checking your humility and ability to listen. It’s really that simple.

7) A broken relationship has you losing hope in life

When you lose someone you care about a lot and a relationship ends, it can feel like there’s no real reason to go on.

Nobody else interests you and they all just look so pale and fake in comparison.

You’re just not feeling the connection that once felt with that special person.

There seems to be no roadmap for what the universe wants you to do.

What to do about it

Get your ex back.

Maybe you broke up because he needed to move to another state for work. Maybe you weren’t to get into a serious relationship.

Regardless of the reason, exes who break up because of circumstance have the strongest chance at rekindling the passion, precisely because there are always ways to improve your timing if the breakup happened because of circumstance instead of personal differences.

Other reasons may not be as straightforward, but they may still be very much valid. These include:

You understand what went wrong. Sometimes relationships go south, to the point that there’s nothing you can do about it.

But if you start seeing your mistakes in hindsight, and find the willingness to improve who you are to compliment your partner, both of you might have a fighting chance at salvaging the relationship.

Your issues can be fixed.

Not all issues in a relationship are completely unsalvageable.

For instance, most communication issues can be avoided by setting some ground rules and being considerate of each other’s feelings. If your problems stemmed from things that could be fixed, know that you can still fight to get the relationship back.

You feel horrible when you’re not together.

Feeling like you’re missing a part of yourself after a breakup is completely normal.

QUIZ: To help you work out whether your ex wants you back, I’ve created a brand new quiz. I’m going to tell it to you straight based on your own situation. Check out my quiz here.

However, if you still feel this way even after you’ve given yourself time to heal, maybe it’s more of a sign that you still have feelings for the other person.

You want to compromise.

Knowing you were wrong is one thing; wanting to fix it is another.

If you or your ex get to a point where you’re both willing to sit down, compromise, and make things work, it’s definitely a good sign that the relationship has a fighting chance.

You agree on things now. Different goals and outlooks in life can put a wedge in people, especially if you’re already looking to settle down, build a life with someone, and start a family.

With time and experience, both of you will have the space to grow and learn from different people. Time might be all that you needed just to get on the same page.

Alright now that we’ve figured out you can get back with your ex, here are the key steps to take.

8) Running on empty

One of my favorite songs is by the singer Jackson Browne. It’s called “Running on Empty.”

In this song, Browne talks about how his youthful idealism eventually became something much more basic: a confusing road into the unknown.

As he sings:

“Gotta do what you can just to keep your love alive/

Trying not to confuse it with what you do to survive.”

Sometimes, no matter how much energy or optimism we start with we end up on the side of the road.

Out of gas.

Out of hope.

Out of answers.

As Browne sings “I don’t know how to tell you all just how crazy this life feels.”

That’s exactly it…

How can you survive the tests from the universe when they don’t make sense to you and leave you with no energy left?

What to do about it

The crazy thing about the universe is that it tends to not fill your tank until you’re empty and you managed to find a small gas station in the middle of nowhere.

Just when you’re out of all hope and you think your road has ended…

A mysterious hand comes and tips a jerry can into your engine.

You have good news about your health, or an acceptance that comes with poor health…

Remarkable developments in career that you had just about thought were out of sight…

And the sudden appearance of a love that you feel was always just out of reach…

As Rania Naim says:

“The universe wants to know that you’ll always believe in love, even if you can’t find it. The universe wants to know that you’ll be able to love with all your heart even if you’ve never been loved the same way.”

Passing the test with flying colors

There’s only one way you can fail the test the universe is putting you through:

By giving up.

The tests that the universe sends your way aren’t a game or a trick.

They’re a natural and inevitable process that can make or break even the strongest among us.

It isn’t about being better, smarter or more impressive in the sight of others.

It’s about learning more about ourselves and what remains even after all the changes of time and life have rushed over us.

The tests of the universe are a consuming fire, but they don’t have to consume us.

As the Bene Gesserit sisterhood says in Frank Herbert’s epic 1965 science fiction novel Dune:

“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.

“I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path.

“Where the fear has gone, there will be nothing. Only I will remain.”

Paul Brian

Paul Brian

I’m a multimedia journalist with experience in print, photography, video and online. My passion is reporting on individuals, faiths, nations and situations that impact us all on the journey of life.

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