By Glyndora Condon MS MFT LPC
Have you ever felt bewildered, almost as if you are cornered within a maze of many walls that turn and at times a dead-end resulting in your turning back? Sometimes the journey of life takes on this mind-boggling and frightening experience with us believing that we are trapped and will never get out.
In life, the tall hedge that is too dense to penetrate and too tall to see where we are is often a blend of multiple ingredients:
· Thought distortions
· Trauma
· Emotional entanglement
· Relational discord
· Death or loss
· Poor time management skills
· Poor money management skills/debt
· Society or cultural conflict
· Alcohol, Drugs, Gambling, Porn, Screens, or other addiction
And more.
When we are caught within a maze, we are limited in our sight and understanding as to what is going on. We feel alone and lost. We tend to back track but often repeat the same things even when these do not work. We seek someone or something to blame and are often engulfed in hopelessness. Our vantage point of where we are is greatly limited to only what we know or think that we know, and we often rationalize, justify, or attempt to manipulate things or others. Often, we stay with what we know even when others are suggesting us to not return to the past for our answers. Often, we simply keep repeating the same choices and want others or life to change for us. Yet, time and again, we find ourselves still stuck.
We must improve our vantage point.
Just like rising above the ground level of a parcel of land allows me to see the landscape and the many possibilities; so does rising above my limited perspective and resources will aid me to comprehend the many options that I truly have which leads to the exit of my present situation and an entrance into a new and more vast opportunity. I need to climb up from my vantage point.
Who of us are now 50 or more years old? With this age then we have lived long enough to have the ability to see how things that we thought were hopeless really turned out to be a positive outcome. Things made sense not during the turmoil, but after. Patterns were more easily seen and more skill sets were developed with time passing. Wisdom developed as we learned to consider the consequences, the options, and to be willing to step out of our own selves. This is a different vantage point than the narrower one during our youth.
Speaking with a professional and learning better tools, identifying thought distortions, and embracing the empowerment with this knowledge aids one to rise to a higher vantage point as well.
Sometimes life itself throws us into a situation that completely topples life as we know it, and as we keep trying to put pieces together yet finding that they do not fit any longer, we have to try something new. As we go through the traumatic event and persevere, we later find ourselves stronger and wiser.
It is encouraged to learn from other’s mistakes, to listen to wise counsel, and to choose to not have to walk through the maze alone. I find this counsel in scriptures. The first 2 chapters of Ephesians are packed full of wisdom and encouragement. In fact, many books and writers have provided excellent lessons to glean from. From above, God has an excellent vantage point that can help us navigate the maze of uncertainty and pain. He knows the end before you begin your journey. He knows the twists and the valleys, and he leads us.
Heal and Hope Counseling Services, LLC has multiple counselors who are versed in life and all look up to our center. Regardless of your maze, we can help you find the exit of the turmoil and the entrance into a better life due to experience, education, and faith. Let us help you.
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