I read a fascinating article on group therapy the other day. It was by Dr. Robert Grossmark and is titled The Edge of Chaos: Enactment, Disruption, and Emergence in Group Psychotherapy. Now before your eyes roll and you click the big red X in the upper right corner of your screen, I'll make you a promise that I'm not here to bore you with psycho-babble...even if I just love, love, love psycho-babble. I wouldn't do that to you.
The theme of this article is that there can be positive, powerful change in the place between our ingrained, mindless habitual way of being, and the place of total chaos where our lives seem completely out of our control. When things happen that shake us up and stress us out, that's the "opening" where an alternate perspective can get in. Sometimes the creation of the opening feels like someone has taken a hammer and chisel to our hearts or minds, but nevertheless, something inside us cracks...but doesn't quite break.
I know you've been there.
It is that moment where you know if you don't do something QUICK, a complete meltdown is imminent. You feel desperate for relief from how awful it feels to be in that place...and you're willing to do almost anything...even change your mind...if it will help. That is the moment the Universe is waiting for. Near collapse and wild-eyed desperation.
Delightful, isn't it?
It's called the "edge of chaos" because you haven't actually "gone over the edge" yet...but you've seen it and you're pretty sure you don't want to trip and fall into the abyss.
This is a great time to ask yourself, "Hey...what do I really want and what do I really value?" and "Is what I've been clinging to really worth all this?" My personal favorite..."Maybe everything I ever did, thought, felt or wanted was...wrong."
There's a crisis for you.
And a gift.
If yesterday was wrong and I didn't know it but today I DO know it, today is my chance to do something, anything, differently. Once I pick myself up off the floor that is...
Sometimes picking oneself up off the floor is the only thing that can be done differently. Trust me...in those times that is more than enough.
I could be wrong...but I think it is perfectly ok to get mad at the Universe when you have been nudged (shoved) to the edge. It's ok to shout and wave your fist and throw things in your head. It's ok to scream "Why, why, why?" Just be careful when you do that because the Universe LOVES to answer questions. If you don't want to know...best not to ask. I'm just sayin'.
I can't tell you not to be afraid of the edge. I'm petrified of it. But know that when you find a way to move away from it...you will see things more vibrantly and you will know yourself more intimately and you may even love yourself just a little bit more. That's a very cool thing.
Livin' on the edge.
Big love,
WS
The theme of this article is that there can be positive, powerful change in the place between our ingrained, mindless habitual way of being, and the place of total chaos where our lives seem completely out of our control. When things happen that shake us up and stress us out, that's the "opening" where an alternate perspective can get in. Sometimes the creation of the opening feels like someone has taken a hammer and chisel to our hearts or minds, but nevertheless, something inside us cracks...but doesn't quite break.
I know you've been there.
It is that moment where you know if you don't do something QUICK, a complete meltdown is imminent. You feel desperate for relief from how awful it feels to be in that place...and you're willing to do almost anything...even change your mind...if it will help. That is the moment the Universe is waiting for. Near collapse and wild-eyed desperation.
Delightful, isn't it?
It's called the "edge of chaos" because you haven't actually "gone over the edge" yet...but you've seen it and you're pretty sure you don't want to trip and fall into the abyss.
This is a great time to ask yourself, "Hey...what do I really want and what do I really value?" and "Is what I've been clinging to really worth all this?" My personal favorite..."Maybe everything I ever did, thought, felt or wanted was...wrong."
There's a crisis for you.
And a gift.
If yesterday was wrong and I didn't know it but today I DO know it, today is my chance to do something, anything, differently. Once I pick myself up off the floor that is...
Sometimes picking oneself up off the floor is the only thing that can be done differently. Trust me...in those times that is more than enough.
I could be wrong...but I think it is perfectly ok to get mad at the Universe when you have been nudged (shoved) to the edge. It's ok to shout and wave your fist and throw things in your head. It's ok to scream "Why, why, why?" Just be careful when you do that because the Universe LOVES to answer questions. If you don't want to know...best not to ask. I'm just sayin'.
I can't tell you not to be afraid of the edge. I'm petrified of it. But know that when you find a way to move away from it...you will see things more vibrantly and you will know yourself more intimately and you may even love yourself just a little bit more. That's a very cool thing.
Livin' on the edge.
Big love,
WS
RSS Feed