Finding Clarity and Empowerment After Crisis

Crisis has a way of simplifying life. In the fire, the choice was clear: survive. In the year following my home burning down, I faced immense challenges. My husband died of cancer, my health declined, Covid arrived, and work collapsed around me. I had no room for questions. I was desperate, hungry for the safety of like-minded people around me. And grace met me there. Spirit carried me through.

But once the crisis fades, the work changes. The adrenaline drops. Neighbors go home. The phone stops buzzing. And there you are—standing on your own two feet, moving forward in quiet awareness.

This is the part no one talks about. Surviving the storm is one thing. Learning how to live after the storm is another.

The Hard Work Begins

The easy part—if I can call it that—was being saved. Spirit swept in through neighbors, strangers, and synchronicities. I was carried. I had no strength of my own. Grace took over.

It’s tempting to stay in crisis consciousness, where every small victory feels like enough. I remember ordering take-out and feeling like I had conquered the world. Just getting food on the table—any food—felt like a triumph. I had the money to pay for it. My kids and I were well cared for. We ate. We ate anything we wanted. It was a kind of grace to have that luxury.

Now, years later, I prefer to cook—it's healthier. I stood at the stove thinking about this the other day. Wow, I’ve come a long way. What once seemed impossible—simply preparing a meal, caring for myself and my family—has become an act of presence, alignment, and conscious living. The small victories accumulate, and suddenly you’re no longer just surviving—you’re moving forward, standing firmly in your own strength.

After the fire, in the days that followed, I saw a Ford Escape with its hind end charred from the flames. It became a metaphor for everything I had endured—and for the resilience that still remained. Like Dory in Finding Nemo, she said it like Es scop pe’. Even when parts of life were burned or destroyed, there was still a way forward. There was still movement.

In the weeks following the fire, I stayed with my in-laws. One night, I woke in the middle of sleep to a vivid presence. My grandpa came to visit me from Heaven. He placed his cheek near mine and reminded me that I could look at his face anytime. I needn’t worry about the family photos that were lost in the fire. It was only two weeks after the disaster, and those photographs had meant the world to me. In that moment, the loss felt softened. I realized that presence is not confined to images on a wall—it lives in memory, in Spirit, in the quiet guidance that carries you forward.

What It Means to Save Yourself

Saving yourself doesn’t begin only after the crisis passes. For me, it started when my husband was first diagnosed with cancer, long before the fire ravaged our community in Northern California. I woke up each morning with a Mack truck parked on my chest. To overcome the pressure, I sat up, meditated, and asked the Universe to guide my next steps. The messages were simple and reassuring: one foot in front of the other.

When my home burned down, that practice carried me through. During the chaotic evacuation, traffic crawled, and hundreds of cars lined the road. At one point, I had to get out of the car and pee on the side of the frontage road. Someone in a nearby vehicle gave a single clap of applause—a strange, almost wicked kind of humor in the middle of desperation. At the time, it was just another indignity of survival. There was no amount of urine that could have put that fire out fast enough.

That night, in a small hotel room 90 miles away—two queen beds crammed with my family of four, plus our dog and cat—Spirit appeared to me in a dream, dressed as a firefighter. With humor and a touch of sarcasm, my Spirit Guide flashed a vivid image of me squatting on the side of the road to urinate and said, “Thank you for doing your part.” What had felt humiliating and raw just hours earlier transformed into recognition: I had done what needed to be done, and I had survived. It was a moment of grace in the middle of chaos.

Saving yourself is not pretty or noble in the moment. It’s doing what you have to do, often without dignity, and then slowly realizing later that something larger was carrying you through. It’s the movement from being carried to consciously walking, from surviving to aligning, from fear to quiet, resilient presence.

The Realization

The student who survives eventually learns to walk. And the student who walks eventually sees the deeper truth: they are not separate from the Spirit that carried them.

The Spirit is One.

The Source is One.

The one and only.

Embracing the Journey of Healing

Healing is a journey, not a destination. It requires patience and compassion for ourselves. Each step we take is significant. We learn to embrace our emotions, both the light and the dark. We acknowledge our pain while also celebrating our progress.

In this journey, we can find support in community. Surrounding ourselves with those who understand our struggles can be incredibly empowering. Sharing our stories creates connections that remind us we are not alone.

The Power of Intuition

As we heal, we also reconnect with our intuition. This inner voice guides us toward clarity and empowerment. It encourages us to trust ourselves and our decisions. Listening to our intuition can lead us to unexpected opportunities for growth and healing.

I encourage you to take time each day to tune in. Meditate, journal, or simply sit in silence. Allow your intuition to speak. You may be surprised by the insights that arise.

Moving Forward with Confidence

As we continue on this path, we learn to move forward with confidence. We take the lessons from our past and integrate them into our present. Each experience shapes us, making us stronger and more resilient.

Remember, it’s okay to seek help along the way. Whether through a mentor, therapist, or spiritual guide, support is available. We don’t have to navigate this journey alone.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the journey after a crisis is one of transformation. It’s about moving from survival to thriving. We learn to embrace our experiences, trust our intuition, and connect with others.

As we walk this path together, let us remember that we are not alone. We are supported by the Spirit that carries us forward, guiding us toward clarity and empowerment.

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About Jennifer Lasell

I’m a psychic medium, spiritual life coach, and energy healer, dedicated to helping people connect with their intuition and inner wisdom. My work is rooted in meditation, reflection, and deep listening, offering guidance with care, presence, and respect for each person’s unique path.

I provide spiritually guided readings and a gentle, sacred space where spirit-to-spirit connection supports every session. With the guidance of your spirit guides and guardian angels, we explore your questions, insights, and inner guidance—helping you notice the wisdom that already lives within you. As a spiritual life coach, I also help you translate these insights into practical steps, empowering you to move forward with confidence, clarity, and alignment.