March 11, 2007:
Facing Problems
Running Away versus Moving Forward
There are times when change—moving to a new city or a new home, or
changing careers—is the right thing at the right time. But there are
also times when the urge for change is really just a desire to run away
from problems that need to be faced rather than avoided. These are the
kinds of problems that recur in our lives. For example, issues with
coworkers that seem to arise at every job we take, or repeatedly
getting into unhealthy relationships. A move might temporarily distract
us, and even cure the problem for a time, simply by taking us out of
the situation in which the problem fully manifested itself. However,
the problem will eventually appear again in our new situation.
One way to make sure you aren’t running away from your problems is to
notice whether you are moving towards something that is exciting in its
own right, as opposed to something that is appealing only because it is
not where you are now. For example, if you are leaving a city because
you feel you can’t afford it, you could be reinforcing poverty
consciousness, and you might find that you are unable to make ends meet
in your new city as well. It would ultimately be less of an effort to
stay where you are and look more deeply into your beliefs about money.
You may discover that as you address these issues, you are able to make
more money simply by changing your mindset. You may still decide to
move, but it will be an act with a positive intention behind it and not
an escape, which could make all the difference.
Any pain involved in facing our issues is well worth the effort in the
end. When we face our problems instead of avoiding them, we free our
energy and transform ourselves from people who run away into people who
move enthusiastically forward.