Overcoming Life's Obstacles in 3 Easy Steps
By Amy Phillips-Gary
We've all got goals and aspirations and in some way or
another we're all on paths (hopefully) pointed toward
reaching those desires. It doesn't matter if you aspire to
land your dream job, live in the home you've always wanted,
enjoy the perfect love relationship or have a buff and toned
body. Happiness, joy and satisfaction are at the heart of
all of these. You may be working hard to keep on track with
your goals. This makes it even more frustrating when you
face an obstacle that seems to block you from what you want
the most.
You can overcome almost any obstacle that appears to stand
in the way of your movement toward that paycheck,
residential address, ring on the finger, body fat index, or
whatever it is you aspire to. The initial step is to see
your face on each and every obstacle. WHAT?! Yes, you read
that correctly. When you see yourself as the biggest
(perhaps only) block to your goals, you are on your way to
dissolving those obstacles.
Even though it may seem the complete opposite at times, you
are an amazingly powerful being! You can and will have
whatever you desire when you choose to have it. The problem
for many of us is we aren't always clear. We say we want to
earn a certain amount of money in a year but then we
continue to feed fears and beliefs about money and our worth
that undermine that intention. The more you can let go of
the doubts, worries and limiting beliefs about whatever it
is you want, the easier you can attract that reality.
It's as if you're floating down a stream-- going with the
flow as the saying goes. You're allowing life and your
aspirations to take you to where you'd like to be. Suddenly,
you hit a big boulder in the stream. Not only do you feel
unsettled and even a little sore, you can also be thrown off
the smooth-flowing current you were previously following. At
this point, it's tempting to feel really powerless. After
all, if it weren't for that boulder, you'd be on your way to
your goal. You might even see the face of your boss, your
parents, your partner, or your past on that obstacle. What
would it feel like if, instead, you could see that it's own
face on that boulder? Yikes! As uncomfortable as it sounds,
this is vital to moving through blocks and getting back in
the flow.
Step 1: Take responsibility.
Responsibility tends to be a heavy word with lots of
unwieldy connotations. But if you can re-think and open up
to "responsibility" you can actually feel freer. When you
take responsibility for the obstacles in your life, you
instantly empower yourself. While it might seem easier to
see anyone but you as the reason why you're not living your
dreams, it's really not. As you look outside yourself for
why you're not achieving those goals, you miss what's going
on inside. You hold the answers to moving past any
obstacles-nobody else does, only you. And it is from this
place of empowerment that you can make decisions and stay
directed toward your dreams.
Step 2: Release the blame.
When you fully take responsibility for what's manifested in
your life so far, you may be tempted to play the blame game.
Instead of seeing everyone else as keeping you down, you
might start seeing yourself as the "bad guy." You may begin
to feel powerless as you see YOU preventing your aspirations
from coming into being. Taking responsibility doesn't mean
there have to be any "bad guys." It's all possibility.
Your habit of preparing for the worst in every scenario can
be turned around. Yes, this tendency has probably held you
back from opportunities to move toward your goals and it may
not be one you choose to continue. But it could also
indicate your ability to plan ahead and be resourceful as
situations change. Recognizing that this habit is an
obstacle is certainly important. But it's also helpful to
see the ways that even your limiting tendencies have served
you to some degree. Taking away the good/bad labels can help
release you from the blame game.
Step 3: Keep your vision alive and flowing.
As you take responsibility for the habits and beliefs that
are the boulders in your stream, you can come to a place
where those self-inflicted obstacles may be experienced with
a sense of peace and even acceptance for where you are at
the moment. Now, you are better able to choose how you want
to continue. With love and even a sense of appreciation, you
can let go of habits that don't serve you on your path to
those goals you envision.
Dreams can change and obstacles sometimes allow us to see
that what we used to aspire to no longer fits our current
desires. Even if you change course, keep your overall
vision for the life you want alive. At its root, this is
almost always happiness and joy. Allow for those ebbs and
flows. When you can be flexible with the shifts within
yourself, you'll probably find fewer blocks and a smoother
journey toward all that you want.
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Amy Phillips-Gary is a free-lance writer, homeschool mom and personal growth adventurer.
