MOVING FORWARD 

Most of us believe and have been taught early in life that we must have a clear path forward to succeed. We forget this widely known fact. Most of us will have to learn how to shift gears or get back up and try again on our path forward. There can be so much effort put into a path forward and so much reward. Have you considered that the real reward can come from the path, the journey itself, and what we take from it? Consider how much is learned as deviations occur. 

Please know that to succeed, we want to acknowledge

that it is best to do so at your own pace. Decisions, big and small, will need to be made along the way. Accept that you may not always, in fact probably won't travel in a straight line.

You may have seen or know of quotes in life that refer to 'moving forward.' They are powerful, and are from esteemed people. 

"No matter how small the step, forward is forward," Mel Robbins.

"If you can't fly, then run. If you can't run, then walk. If you can't walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward' Martin Luther King Jr. 

"If we fail to adapt, we fail to move forward," John Wooden.

While all of these quotes can be motivational and inspiring, let's not forget that it is ok to move forward in your way. The line may not be straight, and sometimes it may involve long periods of pause while an important decision has to be made. Sometimes, almost inevitably, you may have to go back to then go forward. Please don't lose sight of what you are moving towards, and doing what you need to do to get to where you want to be. 

We spend so much time thinking and worrying when we go through challenges in life. Is there really a distinction? When is that line crossed? Does one correlate to anxiety and depression more than the other? 

Consider the definitions:

• Thinking - 'The process of using one's mind to consider or reason about something.'
• Worry - 'To allow one's mind to dwell on difficulty or trouble.' 

Hmmm, it's an interesting distinction. It can be considered a fine line, but understanding the physical implications, we can tell it is not.

• When we worry, our bodies react with; elevated stress hormones that include a faster than normal heart rate, rapid breathing, and increased blood sugar, and impact our neurological system and muscles.
• Thinking impacts our bodies as well. Thoughts are most evident when we tune into an emotion we are experiencing. Hence it is believed that positive thinking helps people move in a happy or outcome driven manner as opposed to negative feelings, which can correlate to less ease or readily allow for a smoother path forward.

What would it take to empower yourself to look at different options to achieve this shift? Does that circular thinking get in the way? If it does, can you catch yourself as it begins and question why?

I would encourage you to take a step back when you notice your worrying is now more than it should be and gain some perspective. Taking the time to decide how you would like to move forward in your thinking could provide you with comfort. If you are unable to shift the worry, please consider reaching out for assistance. 

QUICK TIP - for stress relief a breath, breath in for 3 seconds, hold for 3 seconds, breath out for 4 seconds, rest, and repeat 3 times. (You can replace the 3 seconds with 4 seconds, and 4 with 5 seconds and repeat 4 times if you prefer) 

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