Getting Unstuck and Activated

Most of us have had times when we've felt like we had cement shoes or feet stuck in thick mud. Usually one big element of our lives or a set of small things are weighing us down. A long standing dread or obstacle may also create this effect.  My definition of a complex is when part of our lives gets surrounded by so many fears and blocks that we lose the ability to cope. Encircled by real and imagined barriers to action- we freeze, close our eyes and wish they would go away. Ideally, the swiftest method is to back up, get a running start and leap over the hedge barring our path. This is done by seizing a moment of strength. A career example would be paying for a set of training(s) leading to a new certification with a single credit card keystroke. Thus "forced" to attend, a new door would open after an intense, transforming period. When change requires only one event to conquer, the presence of a loyal friend may do the trick. A terrifying medical exam, scan or test would be in this category. The most natural manner in which we plow through is when outside events compel us to use our inner strength to go "outside" ourselves. Quiet people have been known to become heroes during natural disasters, shedding their cocoons and emerging as valiant community leaders. Following the loss of a family matriarch or patriarch, the  shy sibling least likely to carry the others along may rise to the task and become more outgoing in the process. Although these quick methods are useful to remember, in most cases we need to slowly climb over the fence that has developed by embracing a life of variation and adventure. By trying things, new neural avenues are opened. Isolation and "group think" must be considered key impediments. Interactions with others outside our routine, in the community, challenge our thought processes and model diverse styles of coping and thriving. Accepting offers to attend events I had little interest in has opened my eyes and strengthened my spirit. A drive to a garden center in another county oddly renewed my professional vigor. Attending the funeral of a distant relative helped me feel more  spiritually secure- that I "have people". Often these experiments in living differently have indirect or unknown effects, yet I am convinced they build on themselves and strengthen the whole. Using this incremental model, we can revisit a challenging area periodically and may be ready to take it on with courage.