It Works Til it Stops Working
Often, you’ll hear me refer to trite sayings. They circulate in our culture handed down by generations for a reason – they’re true. They are regularly overlooked, but there’s truth in them. In the simple there’s often the profound.
As humans we’re creatures of habit. As such we frequently “bang our head against the wall” doing the same thing over and over again. We know what that’s the definition of! The point is, at one time something worked so we keep doing it. Some of us continue on longer than others (because our heads are tougher!). Our rationale is it was working, so why won’t it now? And round and round the hamster wheel we go, going nowhere.
Then one day it no longer works but we don’t see that so we keep doing it. Eventually we either figure it out, someone points it out for us or we get frustrated with no resolution.
If you’re at the point where your life isn’t working and you don’t know why, let me point it out for you: All things work until they stop working. Clocks, cars, computers, strategies, us!
Once a strategy we’ve adopted in life no longer works, it’s time to move on and find a new one. It’s so obvious we don’t see what’s in front of our eyes.
For example, I have a client who told me she kind of knew she was sensitive (as in an empath), but just “powered through it” back in the 90s. She’d go out, she’d go to networking meetings, she’d meet people. It worked.
Until it stopped working.
That’s where she’s at now. She can no longer “power through it” to get out of the house. Forcing herself, telling herself she has to or needs to isn’t working either.
Forcing Ourselves Doesn’t Work in the Long Term
Forcing ourselves or attempting to motivate ourselves with words like “should,” “must” or “need to” doesn’t work in the long-term. They may work in the short-term, even if the short-term is ten years like it was for her. Eventually they stop working because we’re forcing ourselves to do something and forcing can only last for so long.
Think of a balloon. If you squeeze it too hard, what happens? It pops. If you apply pressure at a slower rate the latex wears down increasing the time until it pops, but it still pops or releases the air. Same end result. Apply a lot of pressure or a little, eventually it pops. We pop too. It just looks different.
You’re not a balloon, but you still “pop” i.e. what you’re doing no longer is working. That’s when new strategies are in order.
Another reason a new strategy is in order is because you’ve changed. We change every day, we just don’t see it because the change is negligible. Just like our bodies are replenishing cells every day. We don’t feel it, see or know it, it’s just happening.
When Powering Through No Longer Works
The reason this lady’s strategy of powering through stopped working is because forcing had reached its expiration date and she changed. Because she is different, she needs a new strategy. It was ok for her back then to ignore her empathic abilities and just get on with life. Now she’s older and her sensitivities are ramping up to the point they can no longer be ignored.
It No Longer Works for a Reason
We all reach a point in life where something isn’t working and we can no longer ignore it. It’s a sign our higher self, the universe, whatever you want to call it, is telling us to stop ignoring it and identify the lesson. Some of us continue to ignore it. That’s when things can happen such as illness, financial devastation, relationship degradation etc. Even then it’s not too late to turn it around.
Get A New Plan
If you’ve reached a point where something is no longer working, it’s time to pay attention to it. Realize a new plan is needed. Then identify a new plan that works for you. Lastly, implement it.
For my client we identified that she could no longer ignore her empathic abilities. They were so strong they were paralyzing her. Powering through had long since stopped working. She doesn’t want to leave the house because she picks up everyone else’s energy, yet she’d like to re-build her social life.
She got stuck in a rut of telling herself she “needs to,” “should” or “wants to” but none of them were making her get out of the house. The feelings she picks up from others were overwhelming her and overriding her ability to say yes to leaving the house.
Once she could see what was working for her stopped working, a new plan was needed. Together, we devised a plan that could work for her. For more information on our plan, stay tuned for my next article on empath strategies.
What Are You Struggling With in Your Life?
Do you keep having the same conversations with people and then wonder why there is no change? Do you keep having the same conversations with yourself and then see no change? Do you keep doing the same thing at work only to get no recognition? Do you keep falling for the same type of person that isn’t good for you? Do you keep trying to motivate yourself and then beat yourself up because it doesn’t work? Or give up entirely?
What are you doing over and over again expecting different results?
Whatever you’re doing isn’t working because all things work until they stop working.
It’s a sign that it’s time for you to learn the lesson. It’s a gift, really.
What is your lesson in this?
What can you do differently?
Identify where you are banging your head against the wall. If you can’t find it, let me know and we’ll have a conversation. My expertise is in identifying issues and then finding new solutions tailored just for you. Contact me for a one hour strategy session.
