The Taoist philosopher Chuang Tzu told the following story:
“There was a man so displeased by the sight of his own shadow and so displeased with his own footsteps that he was determined to get rid of both. The method he hit upon was to run away from them. So he got up and ran. But every time he put his foot down there was another step, while his shadow kept up with him without the slightest difficulty. He attributed his failure to the fact that he was not running fast enough. So he ran faster and faster, without stopping until he finally dropped dead. He failed to realize that if he merely stepped into the shade, his shadow would vanish and if he sat down and stayed still, there would be no more footsteps.”
When we make the decision to stop and be still rather than running away, we have the opportunity to connect with ourselves. Uncomfortable as it may be, “Wherever you go, there you are,” and then what?
Avoidance, denial, and anxiety get in the way of moving forward unless your image of progress is a hamster on a wheel. It may feel like a lot of activity is being generated yet it’s far better to take that energy and get to the gym for a true workout.
So, rather than run away, or play the blame game…STOP! • Slow down • Assess your situation • What changes do you need to make? • What changes are you willing to make? • Choose one action • Commit to doing it • Take a selfie and record your success!
©MWeisner2016