Before I came across the understanding I now share from I was on a rollercoaster. Bouncing from highs to lows, changing directions all in the hope that I could find that one piece of information that would set me free. Free so that I could achieve what I want, have the things that I want, and ultimately experience the kind of life people dream about, one where I could feel financially secure, and ultimately, experience a feeling of long-term happiness.
Some of the things I tried would leave me with a good feeling and a sense it might work. It becomes like an addiction, but in terms of progress towards goals? Not a lot seemed to be happening. But I would stick with it because it felt good and I had the sense the person I was working with had my best interests at heart.
But all these approaches had one thing in common. They were all based on a misunderstanding. I was looking in the wrong direction. I kept on falling for the same old trick. Thinking there was something outside of me that I needed to help me move forward, and not realising the most powerful tools already resided within me.
It really took me a long time to make the connections and see through my own firmly held set of beliefs, but I can see now how it’s our own thought that pins us down. Because I’ve seen something of the nature of thought it’s obvious to me, most people struggle with it though. Which is fair enough, can a fish see the water it swims in? Can a human see the consciousness that surrounds us, moves through us and bathes us in its all-encompassing embrace?
And for most of my life, I couldn’t see it either, until I was fortunate enough to have a mentor show me where to look, and patiently kept on pointing until I started to see it for myself.
Stoics would have us ignore our emotions and do it anyway, while other schools of thought would have us make peace and attempt to neutralise the thoughts that bind us up in knots and slow our progress.
What if There Was Another Way?
I now see my role as a different one. I’m not here as some sort of oracle with the answers to all your questions. Or someone with a toolbox of techniques to equip you for every challenge or difficult emotion that comes up. Rather I’m here to show you that the answers you seek and abilities you desire are already alive within you, just waiting to be brought to the surface.
Everything I share is based on this understanding, whether it’s an article, coaching or a training program that I’m offering.
Humans have an amazing ability to create, they’re infinity resourceful, resilient and have a level of robustness beyond what we’re led to believe. Don’t get me wrong, mental health is a real issue, but we can overcome, bounce back and once we better understand how our mind works, develop a robustness that protects us from going down into dark places in the first place.
Developing Your Resourcefulness, Resilience, Robustness and Creativity
When finishing this piece, I decided to look up the definitions of each of these words. These are the ones that spoke to me the most.
Resourcefulness: able to deal skillfully and promptly with new situations, difficulties, etc.
Robustness: strong and effective in all or most situations and conditions
Resilience: returning to the original form or position after being bent, compressed, or stretched.
Creativity: resulting from originality of thought, expression, etc.; imaginative:
As these traits have developed within me I’ve found it easier to find direction. To create a path that’s unique for me. The decision I make aren’t always perfect, but I’m able to course correct and bounce back from setback, either real or imagined.
Just a few short years ago, self-doubt regularly crept in and stopped me in my tracks for weeks, or sometimes months and I would start talking myself out of doing anything that might be perceived as outside my boundaries.
Progress comes from pushing from the known into the unknown, and the only way you can do that is to push your boundaries. Progress also comes from creating momentum, doing a succession of individual tasks that add up to something greater. Building on what you’ve done before.
Which is why uncovering these traits, which already exist within you, is so valuable. They provide the basis for stretching limits, building momentum and rebounding quicker those times when you trip.
