Do you ever find that just as you are about to make a real breakthrough, life or you could say, s**t happens?
I wonder how you respond?
Do you have the familiar narrative going something like . . .
"Oh, I'll never get there."
"This always happens to me."
"Oh, what's the point in trying."
"This is a sign I shouldn't be doing this!"
"I'll have to deal with this now and put that off until another day"
and . . . my favourite . . . "I give up!"
Did you know, that just before the Buddha, or Siddartha, was enlightened, he spent a whole night being challenged by Mara? A variety of temptations, or fears - seductive temptresses, or arrows flying towards his eyes - and - what did he do? He just hung on in there - kept the faith if you like.
Julia Cameron, author of the bestselling The Artists Way, talks about how, just as we achieve "escape velocity" - that moment where we are about to fly - we are visited by The Test - "It's like when you're all set to marry the nice guy, the one who treats you right, and Mr Poison gets wind of it and phones you up!" She talks about preparing for The Test by being aware of it - setting goals and boundaries.
Or there's my favourite - Odysseus instructing his crew to tie him to the mast, and blocking their ears with wax, so they wont succumb to his cries and commands to free him as he is drawn, longingly to the irresistible song of the sirens, calling him from the rocks, to what would be his inevitable death. Advised by Circe, he knew the Test was coming, so he put safety in place.
Strangely enough, I dont know about you, but out of the three, I find the first one in some ways the most challenging, and yet in others, the one that gets right to my heart. Faith. Trust. That remembering that nothing lasts forever - and allowing myself to believe that it's OK not to give up - that whatever has come up will pass, and that I can carry on aiming for that target - that the breakthrough WILL come, and that in fact, this is part of the path to get there. Maybe practicing a little Patience, but, most importantly . . .
Don't Give Up!!
Be kind - be patient - keep going . . .you can do it!!
Thanks for reading - if you want to leave a comment, I'd love to hear.
Remember, you can buy my Little Book of The Four Principles of Self Nurture, here on my website, or through Amazon. It's full of helpful and supportive reflections, to help see you through the ups and downs of life.