“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”
The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost
Ground Hog Day
These last lines of Frost’s poem emphasize the benefit of doing something new (the one less traveled by) rather than staying on the same old path and going to the same old places. It may seem comfortable to repeat familiar patterns of daily life over and over. But along with that sense of safety, there is a longing for the unknown, the new, the different. A part of our mind longs for the excitement and wonder of stretching our wings and flying beyond the usual boundaries we set for ourself.
Why We Won’t Fly
It is usually fear that keeps us from striking out in a new direction. We think, “I don’t know enough about that to go there “ or “Why shouldn’t I just be safe where I am.” And then we spend our whole life looking over our shoulder and wondering what it would have been like if we had taken that other road. Do we really want to leave our time here with remorse in our heart?
A New Perception of ‘New’
What if we were willing to think of ‘new’ as exciting rather than frightening? What if we could embrace the unexplored as holding out to us a marvelous adventure filled with friends, fun and the opportunity to advance our knowledge? It sounds enticing, right? So what does it take to shift our stinkin’ thinkin’ to enlightened expectation?
Forgive Yourself!
If you want to be a seeker rather than a slacker, it is essential that you forgive yourself for being fearful, for having doubts, for feeling angry, jealous, depressed or any other soul-sucking emotion. Nobody can do this for you. You must decide that you are worthy of adventure, of newness without nervousness, of a life containing endless creative escapades. Easier said than done, I know!
The Secret!
Ah, yes! How to accomplish the unimaginable! Get up tomorrow morning and put your left sock on 1st, instead of your right sock! (or vice-versa if that’s how you normally do it.) Make your coffee and then brush your teeth. Drive down Street B instead of Street A to get to work. You get the idea-switch up your routine. Sounds crazy, right? This is actually a good way to get in touch with your resistance to change. And once you can acknowledge that resistance, you do two really important things—
- You become the observer of your actions (and eventually thoughts) and
- Now you can take responsibility for the way you experience your life. You are no longer a victim.
These are crucial steps to self-forgiveness and onward to the loss of boredom and fear of failure.
One More Thing
The shortcut to accomplishing the above goals and being able to put them into continuous practice is a daily ‘modern meditation’ routine. In that quiet, introspective time, you get to know yourself, uncover your faults so they can be corrected, and hear the guidance from your Higher Self-the part of your mind that loves you. It will tell you exactly what to do, where to go, what to say, to put you on that new path of endless fascination!
Peace and Love Always,
MarciaGrace
If you are interested in finding out more about MarciaGrace’s ‘Sitting” training program, email her at welcome@marciagrace.com
