Life choices – are you making it or letting it make you?
Let take a moment to reflect – What is our thought process when we encounter setbacks?
Very often including myself, it begins with denial of a problem within ourselves. Denial is a form of coping mechanism in order to allow us to cope with distressing situations. Another way to look at it, it allows us to gain capacity to ready ourselves to tackle the problem later. When one continue to stay in denial for extended period of time, it may become unhealthy and interfere with the ability to problem solve.
When we are aware that it becomes a problem in itself, we may later decide to take action. That is when we realize that it has impacted our life more than it needs to be.
- How might it be if we notice this unwanted repeating pattern?
- Where might we be if we have that awareness?
- What might be stopping us to be what we want to be?
Here’s an insightful work by Portia Nelson. When you finish reading her poem below, ask yourself again.
______________________________________________________________________________
Life choices – are you making it or letting it make you?
______________________________________________________________________________
There’s a Hole in My Sidewalk: The Romance of Self-Discovery
by Portia Nelson
I
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I fall in.
I am lost…
I am hopeless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.
II
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I’m in the same place.
But it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.
III
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in…it’s a habit
My eyes are open; I know where I am;
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.
IV
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
V
I walk down another street.