Just finished a coaching session with a client, and one of the topics that came up was, what do you do when an old symptom or pattern “pops” back up?
Ever feel like you’re doing all the “work” — changing your eating, doing affirmations, learning to focus your attention on things that feel good — and then something “happens” and you react just like before — maybe it’s losing your temper, getting “tight” in your lungs, or “binging” on food or an activity in some way just when you thought you were doing well?
I know when that “happens” to me, I’m tempted to unravel everything like a ball of yarn and feel lousy.
But here’s a distinction I shared with my client today:
Imagine you’re in a forest traveling down a path, and suddenly you see a sign that shows you’re heading in a direction you no longer want to head, and you realize the path you really want is “over there.”
This is a critical moment of awareness, and of a change in direction (for your cells, your health, or your life, business, or relationships).
But even though you now know there’s a different path you want to get on, and you’ve changed your direction, we still live in “time and space” in our physical experience.
So as you travel over to the path you’re now choosing, you may still be passing through some parts of the forest that you don’t like much.
And when you look at your immediate surroundings, or your current health or condition, it might seem like not much has changed, because indeed, the leaves in this part of the forest still look similar since you haven’t moved very far from where you were…
…yet…
But something very significant HAS changed — your whole direction.
And as time goes on, each day you continue in a different direction — practicing new patterns — pretty soon you’ll find yourself on a very different path, and in a very different place, than where you were before.
So here’s the key.
When you take your eyes off where you’re heading and start to look at your immediate surroundings — your current condition in your body, your finances, or your relationships — you may find that things don’t look that different, and be tempted to get discouraged.
This is another critical moment.
Because something very significant has changed — your direction — and if you continue in this new direction, eventually what you see around you — in your body, your money, and your relationships — will change, too.
But…
If you allow yourself to get discouraged, and believe the “evidence of your eyes”…the “facts” that currently surround you…and you forget that your direction is more important than what’s around you right now…and you stop heading in the new direction you’ve started…then you could get “lost” in this part of the forest, where you’ve already decided you don’t want to be.
So…
Remember this:
*** the direction you’re heading in is more important than where you are right now ***
and don’t let where you are right now — your current condition — stop you from continuing to create new patterns and heading in the new direction you’ve chosen.
To your prosperous well-being!
Dr. Ben
thanks, Dr Ben. it is great to see the story that you shared with me here in print. i can read and re read it again and again.
Bang on, as usual,and just when I needed it.
I wear a bible quotation around my neck- -Joshua 1:9
Your message reminded me where I was heading, and how I should be traveling–
Mogadeeshew – – charlie
Wonderful–sounds like this message struck a chord!
Wonderful analogy. How easily we forget that. Thank you for sharing this.
You’re welcome, Rebecca. Glad you enjoyed this!
Thanks for taking the time to answer my comments. This story about being stuck in a part of the forest that you know you don’t even want to visit is really great.
I tend to live just for the “day: due to so much illness, but I will look ahead and know that my body can and will heal itself.
Thanks for the encouragement —- I really needed that!
God bless –
Lynda
Glad you enjoyed the forest analogy, Lynda! Now’s the time to read something like that each morning, or something similar that inspires you…and reminds you of a “greater reality” than just what you’re “seeing” in front of you right now. Blessings on your continued journey!
Excellent and wise post, Dr. Ben! It fits right in with something I heard another doctor say at a talk recently: words have power, conversations have power (the root of the word ‘conversation’ is ‘convert’ or ‘change’) and every time we read/hear a new though, it has the power to change our lives forever.
This is one of those thoughts.
Many thanks!
I guess there are signposts that tell you you’re going in the right direction. And signposts that tell you you’ve gotten off the right path. I’m going to keep my eyes open for signposts every day, and think of this post. Thanks!
You’re welcome, Barrett! Thanks for commenting, and great idea on reminding us to keep our eyes and awareness open for signposts along the way!