July 18, 2014 Chautauqua

Beth's Ponderings

   What is the first thing we want to know when the rug is pulled out from under us?

  Why?  Why did it happen?  Why did that person do what they did?  Why me???

   We all do it.  It is a very natural response.  Yet, ultimately, it doesn’t matter at all why, it only matters what we do after.

   After the rug has been pulled out from under you, do you move forward, or sideways, or do you try to stay put, or even go backwards?

   It is impossible to go back, no matter how much we may wish our lives to return to the way they were before.  It happened, it’s in the past, and it can’t be undone.  You can only live from where you are now after the fact.

   Despite some appearances, you also can’t stay put.  Life won’t let you remain in a static position.  More changes keep coming at you, forcing you to keep making decisions.

   Moving sideways (or laterally) tends to have a bad rap in the business world as corporate types are encouraged to climb up the ladder of success.  Yet, far too often, the worker is promoted right out of their area of expertise into a world of endless conference calls, meetings, and paperwork, which can result in chronic stress and health issues.

   Moving sideways - in business and life - gives you the chance to grow and be challenged, yet remain where your strengths and contributions are best served.  It also allows you to test the waters of endeavours you wish to explore without changing your entire life.  Instead of moving up a ladder, you are circling up a spiral.

   Moving forward can be thought of as the great leaps of life such as when you have to make great changes across all areas of your life.  While moving forward is considered the ideal, there is a dark side to it as some people use the massive changes involved in moving forward as an excuse to hide from whatever caused the rug to be pulled out in the first place.

   Whether moving sideways or forward, you know you’re on the right track if you feel a sense of timelessness and relaxing of body tension.

Beth

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