23 September 2018
Blog Post
A Year to clear what is holding you back by Stephanie Bennett Vogt
Slowing down, taking time for yourself and establishing new habits that will last a lifetime.
Theme – Knowing
Remember this when you can't decide whether or not do something or to let something go:
- If it feels right … do it.
- If it doesn't feel right … don't do it.
- If I don't know … wait
Sound words except sometimes life dictates that there is no choice. I have often found myself in situations where I am not happy with what I am expected to do but I am not in a position to challenge that. As I have got older my priorities have changed which often puts the way I see things differently. This is especially true in respect of work. As the years have added-up my main concerns have shifted from working to live and afford the things I want to more of a degree of doing what makes me comfortable. I no longer have to suffer fools lightly in order to keep my job. If I don’t agree with something I will now speak out so at least my opinion is heard. Granted this has had come-backs but then I find I am usually better off out of that kind of situation.
Unfortunately, others are not as fortunate. I recently worked in a residential unit where the H&S of staff was constantly compromised against the desire for cold money. The institution charged an absorbent amount to live there but provided the minimum of staff and care, and when there were issues which culminate in the risk of someone choosing to move to another establishment then corners were cut to the point of putting not only the staff at risk but also the clients. This resulted in a few people consulting a Trade Union for advice, but rather than the management working with them to sort the problems out a memo was circulated to the effect that anyone that was a member of a union would be sacked immediately. Those that could not afford to lose their jobs complied but a few refused, and needless to say were dismissed under the guise of all sorts of spurious reasons. Principles can still only ever be upheld by the privileged that do not need to rely on the financial income, or for those that simply could not exist under such conditions and that is what those bosses that work on the principles of a dictatorship rely on.
Did you notice if certain places or circumstances were more likely to reveal information (guidance, inspiration, or some kind of clear signal about your next steps) than others?
I am a great believer that people instinctively know when things are not right for them, however even when common sense tries to overrule that feeling it is still only the privileged few that are in a position to heed the inner warning completely. I think what we do to compensate if we cannot escape a certain situation is to strive to put ourselves in the less vulnerable position possible.
I meditate on problems and although I don’t always have the solutions jump out at me I do feel better for mentally getting the issues into some kind of order. It makes it seem more likely that I am able to cope with them if and by addressing things in little steps I find that more often than not it isn’t the huge problem that I first thought it was.
How do you know that you know?
Sometimes I find it is blindingly obvious when the solution hits, but other times it seems to simply filter through the chaos of life in drips and spots.
What are your clues that you are on the right track?
The inadvertent worrying begins to ease.
However, I am always conscious of the saying:
Beware of what you wish for because you might get it.
Returning to the idea of ‘Waiting’
This sounds fair enough but what if the answer doesn’t come? What do you do then?
Then you are still faced with the same problems but have added to it by not being able to get any answers to your question. Also, what happens if the answer you find is not practical, logical or even possible, what then? This has then created yet another dilemma plus the knowledge that the right thing to do for you is unobtainable.
To be honest I think that sometimes ‘Ignorance-is-bliss’ is hugely underrated.
Sometimes the not-knowing is the things that gets us though sticky situations and allows us to take chances.edit.