Directions

Forward. Of all the directions in life, it often carries the biggest challenge. Moving forward is often not an easy thing to do. In the grand scheme of things, the way I see it there are 4 things a person can do with their life at any given time. Stand still, Side step, Move backwards, or Push forwards.

As the name implies, standing still is just that. you don’t move. You stay where you are and let life and the world move around you. Usually set in a routine that is repeated day in and day out, there is little to no change. You just move along and continue to meet the status quo that you have set for your self and waver little in life. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Often times this can be a rest period. Just going through the motions, shutting down certain parts of you and just plugging through, letting things work in the back ground as you take in everything around you. Everyone has done it and been through it. Some find this to be the best life for them, they are happy and content. Again nothing wrong with that if it works for you. The world needs people like this. Willing to just move through and do what they do.

Side step, this to me can also be a resting option, but at the same time this also carries some weight to it that, say, standing still does not. To me side stepping implies that you are not willing or able to tackle an issue or change that comes about and so you side step it. You avoid the issue. Now this may be because you are not yet in a place to address it. We have all been there. Something comes up that you are not mentally, emotionally, or physically able to handle at the time and so you step aside. You let the issue pass you by until you are ready to take it on. The issue comes when you choose to side step in an attempt to avoid the issue all together, praying that it will pass you by and you wont have to deal with it. Sometimes you get lucky and the issue addresses itself, but more often than not it doubles back and often multiplied greater than the first time, and if you continue to side step it, it grows, whether you like it or not.

Backwards is pretty self explanatory. You step back. Sometimes it’s falling into old habits or patterns. Sometimes it’s back tracking and allowing the barriers and boundaries  you put up to fall due to outside pressure or questioning if you should have put them up. Other times it’s back tracking and changing your stance on something cause you question yourself and allow others to dictate your movements. Regardless of what the reason or what causes it, backwards usually causes you to pick up weight you had shed and reattaches the chains and anchors you thought you had dropped.

That brings us to forward. This is often the hardest direction to go. This direction will challenge you with every step quite often. It pushes you to your limits, trying to break you. In life it challenges your ideas, your thoughts, your dreams. Fighting through the demons that wanted you to stand still or move backwards so they can continue to control your life. Forward is what drives you to complete what needs to be done. Sometimes that’s as small as making sure you do the basics in your life, other days it’s as big as ensuring that you are moving forward with your dreams and goals. Obstacles get dropped in your path to challenge your mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical drive. It’s hard, believe me. Forward is the biggest challenge and carries the most weight of all the directions I have listed, but in my opinion, is the most rewarding. Seeing yourself continue to use forward after loss, heartbreak, trauma, set backs, challenges, all help build who you are. Strengthen you for the next go around. They give you the power and courage to turn around and tell your demons that YOU are now in charge and they can either fall in line or get the hell out.

Moving through life is not an easy thing. There are so many different ways that is changes you, pushes you and moves you in directions you were not anticipating. You can let it stop you in your tracks, push you back, or you can lace up your boots, put on your war paint and face it head on. YOU get to choose how it affects you, and realizing that, is the real power.