MOVING FORWARD
Whether we are contemplating a career change, coming to terms with the death of a loved one or simply facing the idea of getting out of bed in the morning, moving forward will often involve us letting go of what is safe, familiar or comfortable. In reality, moving forward is often the easy part when it comes to change; it is the actual process of letting go which typically brings about the greatest of challenges.
‘What does it really take in order for us to move forward?’, a question I asked myself just the other day. Strange as it was, an image of Tarzan suddenly popped into my head; here he was, that mythical man of the jungle swinging through my mind, proudly proclaiming his presence with that almighty bellow of his. I watched on as he swung from vine to vine with great ease, his movements appearing faultless. Over and over he let go and grabbed onto another well disguised vine hidden within the next tree. He let go and grabbed on, let go and grabbed on and so on. He confidently and independently moved forward, swooshing though the foliage; at no stage was he desperately hanging there yelling ‘Someone find me another vine!’
As non-jungle folk, the ‘letting go and moving forward’ process may not be so second nature. Often, our next ‘vine’ is not so obvious and the fear of letting go is often what keeps us clinging to what feels safe. The idea that if we let go we will plummet into the unknown in some way is typically what leaves us hanging, with the impression that life is on hold.
Whilst we remain focused on the vine in our hand (the issue/s at hand), our attention is undeniably held captive and whilst our mind remains in this state there is no opportunity for us to seek out the things which offer to keep us moving. Matters are not helped when that so-called jungle we’re swinging through is a rather dark one. In depression it can certainly be difficult to spot the best of opportunities, with this mental condition leaving us in that fearful and desperate state of suspension. By the way, with people in our life perhaps insisting we take certain directions, all we may really be looking for is someone who can help teach us how to let go so as to shift our focus naturally and with confidence.
If we were to dive right into our imagination at this point and ask Tarzan himself how it is that he manages change with such ease, perhaps his response would be ‘Change is not to be achieved single-handedly; whilst one hand grabs on to the next opportunity, another is letting go at the same time. Plus, if I never let go I’d simply have a whole stack of vines in my hand which serve no great purpose.’
The faith entailed in moving forward is born from knowing we have the power to let go, the ability when it comes to shifting focus and the entitlement in announcing our presence as someone who is worthy of being heard in this urban jungle of ours.
I’m sure even Tarzan fell a few times before he mastered the art of change (an art most often mastered through practice).