running isn't the answer.
run out of the house and FAR FAR AWAY keep going and going until
[all the little irritating things that kept tap-tap-tapping you on the shoulder and eventually became]
one huge BOULDER
[pressing and pushing weighing you down]
FLIES OFF and TUMBLES AWAY along the path BEHIND you.
wouldn't that be nice? to just run away from all of your nagging little difficulties? or perhaps they've become so huge that life itself feels like one unrelenting problem. too overwhelming to endure. imagine the lightness, the relief, you would experience. if these concerns simply released their hold on you and floated away. but life doesn't work that way in reality, does it? we have to bear our burdens, and sometimes it isn't very easy. what if, instead of escaping (which we all know doesn't really work long-term), you attacked what was going on instead? you stood your ground. and you met your obstacles head on. sound scary? yes, it is. but trying to run away is scary too. because it's never-ending. you'd have to run forever. you may find yourself forced into resolving your dilemma. in fact, it may be that you have absolutely no other choice at some point. but to actually and finally end it. instead of looking down, you must only look up.
i've been afraid. i've felt as if there was no way out. i've faced difficult situations. but i've also managed to reach the other side. i've learned how to cope. i've sat, shaking, and allowed those terrifying feelings to come to the surface. and i've been open to accepting the lessons that they were inevitably there to give. does this mean i happily and willingly accept my circumstances each time? no, not at all. does this mean i never cry or whine or rant about "poor me?" well, i wish i could say yes, but that would be a lie. i am human. i react like many other people do at what i perceive as events happening TO me. but, after an allotted period of grief, i pull myself out from beneath my self-pity. sometimes even from the depths of despair (which, of course, takes longer). and, so far, i haven't perished in the process. i have not been totally defeated yet. and i am determined to keep the upper hand that i've been working so hard to gain. there's no doubt that deliberate confrontation is frightening and difficult. especially if you feel as if you are all alone. having someone cheer you on and support you can make the journey easier. someone that you can absolutely trust and count on. someone who is willing to share with you - tools and tears, skills and smiles. i have made it my mission to be this close ally to my coaching clients. women who have endured a life-threatening eating disorder. and have fought their way through the recovery process. who have emerged physically whole, but are still struggling emotionally. and are still unsure as to what lies ahead for them in the future. i want to see each of these women claim her right to a bold.free.new life. rediscover that person inside who is BIGGER than the illness. who has been waiting to burst forth triumphantly. in order to fulfill dreams that have been hidden away for too long. i have developed so much respect for these women. they are brave and they are strong. and it is a delight to collaborate with them on the road to personal freedom. "Your life and my life flow into each other as wave flows into wave, and unless there is peace and joy and freedom for you, there can be no real peace or joy or freedom for me." ―Frederick Buechner do you find yourself running? what are you running from? how could your life be different if you stood your ground? tell me about your struggles (and your victories) in the comments below. and thanks for sharing. [maxbutton id="1"]