Originally posted August 20, 2015
I LOVE Traffic?
If you know anything about me, you know that traffic makes me crazy! But as I continue on my own personal growth journey, (seriously, does it ever end?) I am actually beginning to embrace traffic with an entirely new perspective.
I’m fascinated by looking at google maps to see where traffic is located whenever I get in the car. (Of course, not while I’m driving!) It shows the little yellow dots for slowing traffic and the red dots for when traffic is really backed up. What I find interesting, is that oftentimes, it’s heavy traffic…heavy traffic…heavy traffic…and then, as if magic, it completely opens up.
How can this be? I understand when there’s an accident or construction that ‘blocks’ our way, but how can it ever just be NOTHING!
This is a perfect metaphor for our lives. I think back in my own life where I had some big time congestion and back up and things felt like they weren’t even moving. I couldn’t get any traction with what I wanted out of life. When we are in this place, we just want to get out of the car and walk away. And that is absolutely normal to want to say, ‘I’m done!’
But what we don’t realize is that just up ahead could be the break in traffic we’ve been waiting for and where it opens up allowing us to move forward with speed and ease. That’s why it’s imperative for us to continue moving forward with an open attitude even if we feel like it’s at a snails pace, because at any minute, it could be smooth sailing.
Of course, there may be detours now and then, but when we’re open, we see possibilities we wouldn’t have seen on our original path. When we have faith that we’re right where we’re supposed be, and yes, things do happen for a reason, (even the crappy stuff!) it’s a little easier to take a deep breath when we feel stuck. Then we can more easily be creative with this time.
But what about when we’re stuck and there isn’t anything actually blocking us! Hmmm…we are so brilliant at creating blocks for ourselves. That’s when we want to take a deeper look into why we are holding ourselves back, playing small, and not shining our light.
Ask yourself, What am I learning here? What opportunities are being stuck (in traffic and in life) offering me? How might I be getting in my own way of moving forward? (Hello fear!)
Certainly feeling stuck and blocked can be extremely uncomfortable. But when we’re speeding through our life, we might be missing golden opportunities that help us stretch out of our comfort zone, see a new perspective and get the heck out of our own way. We can choose to NOT have an awful and stressful experience as we sit and wait for the path to clear. Or we can choose to embrace the uncomfortableness. Also, keep in mind that when we speed through life, we may reach our destination and wonder, what am I doing here? (Hello mid-life awakening!)
How do we find the balance? When do we know to sit back and ‘wait’ for something for happen? When do we speed through life as fast as we can? When do we take action and push for what we want? And when do we choose to move forward in other ways?
Think about the places in your own life where you feel like you are stuck in traffic. It could be your health, a relationship, finances, job. Maybe you feel like you’re not really having any fun in your life right now. Anything.
Wherever you’re feeling stuck, what would it take for you to get a birds-eye perspective? Just like Siri showing you traffic, knowing that it’s going to break up just ahead, or knowing you want to take action with a detour, What would you be doing differently and how might you BE different?
If you’re feeling stuck somewhere in your life, only you are in the drivers seat to decide. But decide with purpose and passion.
What is it you want…really want?
How is what you are doing getting you what you want?
What’s getting in your way?
How willing are you do look at different perspectives and try something different?
Sometimes we’re too close to it to see the possibilities. Try something different. Really examine inside what you perceive to be holding you back. Hire a coach to help you navigate through the traffic! Whatever you decide, move something forward…anything. Think creatively. If it’s what you REALLY want, anything is possible!
Here’s to your next blissful traffic jam!
Lesley Picchietti, CPC, ACC, ELI-MP
© Inspire Bliss Coaching and Consulting 2015
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