Every Step Is Forward

Hello, I hope your doing well today. This article from the OM Times helped give me a different perspective on my life's situation right now. I have been "feeling stuck in the mud" as it says, trying to find a job. One day things look bright, and an opportunity to work looks like it is going to come through. My hopes get up, that Yes, I can finally get back on track and have that career that I went to college for, have a sense of independence, and contribute to the care of my family. Then it doesn't come through, and it gets more disappointing each time. I'm starting to get scared that I may never get back out there, and I know I'm not alone in feeling that way. It's so tough out there that I have started going to a career center, doing their workshops to sharpen my skills. I'm also working with an employment agency. And with all that, it's almost proving futile, because the last job I applied for had 12 open positions with 885 applications! But maybe, just maybe! these steps forward that I have been taking will lead to where I'm meant to be. I have to have faith in that. If your feeling "stuck" in some aspect of your life, I hope this helps give you a different perspective on your situation as well.
Thanks for visiting,
Janet :)



Every Step Is Forward

There are times when we feel that we are spinning our wheels in the mud in terms of our progress. This can be especially true following a period of major growth in which we feel as if we’ve gained a lot of ground. In fact, this is the way growth goes—periods of intense forward movement give way to periods of what seems like stagnation. In those moments when we feel discouraged, it’s helpful to remember that we don’t ever really go backward. It may be that we are at a standstill because there is a new obstacle in our paths, or a new layer to get through, but the hard work we have done cannot be undone.

Every step on the path is meaningful, and even one that seems to take us backward is a forward step in the sense that it is what we must do to move to the next level. In addition, an intense growth spurt requires that we rest for a time in order to fully integrate the new energies that have been liberated by our hard work. When we feel we are not making progress, we can encourage ourselves to take a moment to rest. We can meditate more, feed ourselves well, and get extra sleep. Before we know it, we will be spurred on to work toward the next level of our development, and this rest will make sense then as something we needed in order to continue.

Once the sun rises, it doesn’t go backward but instead follows its path in one direction. It may appear to stand still for a moment in time, or to move more slowly at some point or another, but really it is steadily moving forward on its path. We are the same way, and once we have moved through something we can never really go back. We may be resting or revisiting issues that seem old, and it’s natural to feel stuck, but in truth we are always taking the next important step forward on our path.