Unstick Yourself
It’s a gradual descent that happens slowly, making it easy to miss the incremental shift in altitude. You move from a sunlit plateau, lush with flora and fauna, down into the shadow of a cool valley. The temperature shifts so subtly, at a snail’s pace, that you barely notice it. Then, out of nowhere, a shiver runs down your spine, and you realize the cold has seeped into your bones somehow. Insulation becomes necessary to stay warm, despite the exertion from walking.
Once aware of your predicament, you look around trying to find some explanation, a sign to help you get your bearings and figure out how you ended up here. Hadn’t you set your course upwards, towards the peak of the mountain in the distance? How did you stray so far off track? By the time you realize where you are, it feels almost too late to get out. The light has dimmed, and you’re at a lower vantage point, making it harder to see into the distance. The vines of apathy grow thick over the path ahead, tripping you up as you continue. It’s not bad, but it doesn’t feel like home. You need too many layers for protection, stepping cautiously to avoid stumbling or falling prey. You are stuck…
We often start a journey with a clear idea of where we want to end up, if we’re lucky. However, the difference between Point A and Point B is often minimal, with even a slight variation shifting your destination by miles. Frequently, the most important step of any journey is the first one. When you find yourself off the intended path midway through, it helps to pause and reframe your perspective. Consider it the end of the initial journey you began and the start of a new one. At that point, you just need to convince yourself to take that first step once more, even if you might go off course again later.