|
I have always said that not only do we travel on Life's Highway, butalso that Life itself is a highway … just give me a moment, and I'llexplain why. In fact, the expression "Life's highways and byways"takes on a whole new meaning when you apply the driving code to it!
For many of us, Life travels at speed and we never seem to find the timeto stop and smell the roses. Highways are like that, too. Once we'rein the stream of traffic, we put our foot down and coax the car to gojust a little faster. We have no side streets to negotiate and if westick to one lane, we can keep navigation down to a minimum. We don'thave to think too much, after all, once we are in the lane we want to bein, driving a highway is predictable.
Is that what your life is like? Safe … predictable … going in onedirection.
Highways are boring. The end of it always seems to be a long time incoming.
Is that what your life is like? Boring. No end in sight?
When was the last time you took a side street, just because it wasthere?
These are not rhetorical questions, dear reader! I want you to reallythink about them. In fact, don't read on for the next five minutes– it should take you about that long to grab a pen(cil) and a sheet ofpaper. I'll wait here while you go get them.
Waiting.
Waiting.
Waiting.
Ah, you're back.
While you were getting pen(cil) and paper, did you have a good think? You did? That's great! Here's what I want you to do ….
Divide the sheet into two columns. Head the page with "Why my life islike a highway."
For the next five minutes, make a list in the first column of all thereasons you think your life is like a highway … boring, predictable,safe. The trick here is not to stop writing and think, but to write forthe whole five minutes … and if you can't think of a thing to jotdown, write anything (and yes, I do mean anything). This is what poetscall stream of consciousness and writers term free-writing. It's away of accessing your subconscious.
When the five minutes are up, use the second column to note why youthink you wrote each item down. You may find reasons listed which, in aconscious state, you would never have considered – that's one of thegreat things about this form of writing.
(As an aside, free-writing/stream of consciousness has a definite placein the empowered life. To be discussed later!)
Once you get off the highway, life becomes much more interesting! Mainroads and side streets can take you anywhere. You may find yourself ata T-junction, where you'll have to make a minor decision – whetherto turn left …. or turn right. You may find yourself at a cross-road– in which case, a major decision is warranted. Then again, you mayhave taken a side street only to find it's a cul de sac, and have toreturn the way you came.
That's exactly what life is about.
We make minor decisions, major decisions, and sometimes a wrong decision(or was it?) so we have to backtrack.
Life also supplies you with occasions when you just can't make up yourmind and so you go round …. and round … and round, trying to decidewhat to do. Just like being at a roundabout and not knowing which exitto take.
So, how do you cope when faced with having to make decisions? Are youdecisive enough to make your own? Or do you always seek help?
Can you make minor decisions but seek help with major ones?
If you need help to make decisions ALL the time, then your life isn'tvery empowered, is it. The question you have to ask yourself is: Whyhave you given away your power?
Time for another exercise!
Grab your sheet of paper again, flip it over and use the back side toanswer the above questions. Give yourself five or ten minutes on thisexercise, and if you like, use the same free-writing technique asbefore.
You may be very surprised at your answers.
Why do the exercises? you may ask. Simple, really.
People who live empowered lives shun the highways. They have a sense ofadventure and daring. Their curiosity levels are so high, that they aska lot of questions and have an insatiable need to find the answers.
It takes daring to take side streets, not knowing where they will lead. It takes courage when, after turning left at a cross-road, you discoveryou're going in the wrong direction …. and have to go back.
It is rare to find an empowered person going round and round in circlesat a roundabout because they don't know which exit to take – becauseempowered people are decisive.
How decisive are you?
How daring and courageous do you want to be?
The more decisive you become … the more willing you are to acceptchallenges … the more fun your life will be.
And we could all do with more fun, couldn't we!
About the author: Barbara Rose is a writer with a passion foreverything! She is also a mentor, coach, teacher and alternativetherapist who specializes in helping people reach their potential at alllevels (spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical). Please visitwww.barbaras-library.com for a complete list of Barbara's articles andbooks. To find out more about Barbara please go towww.barbara-rose.name.[p] |
