wherever you go, there you are...

"wherever you go, there you are...but your luggage is another story."

honestly, none of us enjoy dealing with things that make us feel uncomfortable - seems much easier to avoid or deflect from the real issues so that we don't have to deal with it.  i admit, i have been a superstar "avoider" in my life.  unfortunately, those "things" avoided don't disappear - they just get swept under the rug and eventually that lump grows until i can't ignore or avoid it any longer.  no matter how hard i try, i always trip on that lump!

avoidance is not a positive coping skill for life.  in fact, it is pretty bad. you may think that you are changing circumstances and situations, but it is all just a facade.  unless you commit to facing whatever "lumps" you are avoiding & change yourself, you will inevitably continue to deal with  & trip on the same old stuff.

this is not easy.  typically, we resist what we want and need most - after not having it for so long (or avoiding it for so long), our brain associates that "stuff" with pain.  when it does show up, it may scare you or even piss you off - so you avoid & disassociate. we are drawn to the familiar no matter how desperately we want different...

today is the day to stop trying to avoid your "stuff" - time to spring clean and sweep out that lump under your rug that keeps tripping you up.  unpack that "luggage" - open yourself up to the possibilities because wherever you go, there YOU are!
peace & bliss,
amy

help...

I walked through the wildwood, and what did I see
But a unicorn with his horn stuck in a tree,
Cryin’, “Someone please help me before it‘s too late.”
I hollered, “I’ll free you.” He hollered back, “Wait--
How much will it hurt? How long will it take?
Are you sure that my horn will not scratch, bend, or break?
How hard will you pull? How much must I pay?
Must you do it right now or is Wednesday okay?
Have you done this before? Do you have the right tools?
Have you graduated from horn-savin’ school?
Will I owe you a favor? And what will it be?
Do you promise that you will not damage the tree?
Should I close my eyes? Should I sit down or stand?
Do you have insurance? Have you washed your hands?
And after you free me--tell me what then?
Can you guarantee I won’t get stuck again?
Tell me when. Tell me how.
Tell me why. Tell me where….”

I guess that he’s still sittin’ there.

i'm not sure when i was first introduced to shel silverstein books - i believe it was in elementary school...maybe 3rd grade?  any old way, i fell in love with his original poems, quirky illustrations & his books sit on the shelf in my office to this day.

this poem, "help!" takes on new meaning at this point in my life...both personally and professionally.  sometimes i am the one walking through the woods hollering "i'll help you" - while other times i am the unicorn with his horn stuck in a tree asking "how much will it hurt? how long will it take? are you sure that my horn will not scratch, bend or break?...and after you free me--tell me what then? can you guarantee i won't get stuck again?" 


at one point or another, we all become attached to moments associated with people or experiences that keep us "stuck" in conceptualized constructs - our perception allows us renegotiate what "happiness" means - what "happiness" feels like.  and through this continuous recalibration of what "happiness" is, we create a tolerance for the status quo & stay stuck...
are you a unicorn with his horn stuck in a tree?
if so, it's time to get help...time to be free...

peace & bliss,
amy