Catalyst Questions

[Ecz]

I see the idea of "Catalyst" get discussed here often, an idea which seems obvious enough to understand with context alone - however as I've tried applying this knowledge in life I've been left with a couple of questions.

It seems to me that when there is an "imbalance" -- particularly an energy center imbalance, a catalyst is then introduced into our lives that serves to give an experience that we will (hopefully) learn from - this serving to balance, or begin to balance, the problematic energy center. Is this a correct understanding of catalyst as used here?

If so, one question I have is whether or not catalysts are always a lesson of a "negative" nature for lack of a better term. For example, if I have an energy center problem that is causing selfish behavior to such an extent that my partner leaves me - this is a "negative" experience in order to attempt to shed light on the issue of selfish behavior. This was how I would expect to receive my catalysts.

However, this week I had a graphic design client get extremely snippy with me over how long I was taking on a project. I was surprised at how automatic my patience was with him (usually I am quick to reciprocate negativity because I deal with so much of it in my job), I felt a lot of empathy as he got a bit nasty with me and just labeled the behavior as an effect of emotion, letting go of it as insulting, and seeing his complaint objectively. I assessed my actions and concluded that I had not dropped the ball and that the issue was simply an unreasonable expectation on his end. I carefully explained the nature of the project and apologized for making him wait longer than he'd expected to. He hastily hung up and I assumed I wouldn't be hearing from him again.

The next day he called me and told me he felt terrible for "busting my chops" and paid for the logo I had designed (He thought I could make it in 10 minutes and it took me an hour was the entire issue, my turnaround was almost immediate compared to the norm). He also paid me upfront for an entire website (with a little extra added on) -- he also paid $100 toward whoever my next web design client happens to be. So not only did I get an apology and some good pay but also the opportunity to act as a conduit to brighten someone's day in the future. All of this, even his initial nastiness, was a positive experience. My ability to remain emotionally balanced while he was upset left me feeling very proud of myself and was enough reward to try and repeat the action. However, the ensuing positivity was such that it left me wondering if positive reinforcement is another potential form of catalyst. I felt as if maintaining my patience with people was outlined for me to pay more attention to.

My thought was then that perhaps being vigilant about looking out for catalysts allows us to learn the necessary lesson in a positive sense (or at least an "easier" sense). If this lesson is not understood then it manifests in more attention-grabbing way, which tends to feel negative.

I'm wondering if my understanding seems sound and if not what I'm missing. Thanks for reading, I tried my best to keep it concise.