“Perception”

One early morning, I walked along a bike path and saw a construction water truck in the distance. It appeared to be blocking the path ahead, the area was under major construction, and I wasn’t certain if the path continued or not. My initial reaction was disappointment not being able to walk as far as I wanted. Unsure if I should keep going or just turn around and go in a different direction or return to my hotel room for a yoga session. I felt defeated at the very sight of the truck.

I hesitated. Half my brain said turn around, you can’t go any farther. The other half said keep going you don’t know for certain if the path is blocked or not. I decided to go forth and see what happens, if blocked, I would figure it out, maybe make my own path around it. With my feet and instincts in agreement, onward I journeyed. The nearer I approached the equipment, I saw the path did indeed continue around it. And so did I, and soon after, I was gifted with coming face to face with a beautiful deer.

I am at a place in my life where I am questioning everything. Do I continue with my current job, do I continue to write, do I consider early retirement, do I pursue my dreams and visions? I can only see potential obstacles in front of me in the moment. How do I want to spend my time and energy. I don’t shy away from working hard or being committed to pursuing my passion and exceeding expectations, but the pressure of me trying to fit my square peg self into someone else’s ideal round hole is crushing me.

Whenever I have been in a situation unsure if I should keep moving or turn around, and I’ve chosen to keep going even in uncertainty, I am always rewarded with something unexpected and serendipitously wonderful. The universe encourages me into the unknown and lets me know it’s okay, and often, better.

I am writing this to remind myself of the many times I assumed an obstacle existed, the times I hesitated and/or turned around or stopped all together thinking I couldn’t get passed it. But when I stepped into the unknown, whatever was on the other side ended up being a gift I never knew I needed.

Reinforcing the importance of trusting beyond what we can see is the book, “Walking one step at a time” by Erling Kagge. In this insightful book he explains how life is one long walk and the act of discovery and exploration are essential to our well-being. Putting one foot on the ground and taking one step at a time, with intention and mindfulness, benefits our mental and physical equilibrium.

Let my words encourage you to look beyond the perceived obstacle. It may not even be in your way. Let’s not be held back by perceptions, instead trust in our inner voice, and step forward when the universe encourages us to look beyond, and follow our instincts.