Which Way is Up?

source: French by Design blog

We all go through times in life when we feel lost. Lost for words. Lost of emotion. Lost and abandoned. Lost. Not knowing where we are, let alone where we are going.


Side Note: I say "we all go through this..." or something along those lines a lot, and with reason. You need to remind yourself that no matter where you are at, you are not alone. Someone has been in a similar place or is in that similar place currently. We can be defeated before we ever start when we convince ourselves we are alone. That is the cake to our pity party. You are not alone in this or anything you may experience in the future. 


I started watching a ridiculous and unrealistic comedy series entitled Unbreakable on Netflix. It may be completely unrealistic and preposterous in its story line, but it may seem even more preposterous that I am about to use some of its content in this blog post! However, I am. The main character Kimmy Schmidt several times asks another character, "Do you think you can make it through the next 10 seconds?" To which the other character always replies with, "yes."

"Perfect!" she says, "Now when those 10 seconds are up, start back at 1."

It seems pretty simple, but it's true. As Kimmy says, anyone can do something for 10 seconds. And after those 10 seconds are up, focus on getting through the next 10 seconds, and then the next 10 seconds, and then the next. No matter what you are experiencing or how lost you may feel... Lost in homework overload, lost in housework overload, lost in grief, lost in parenting, lost in heartbreak... You can make it through the next 10 seconds.

Have you ever been lost? I mean literally lost. Maybe on a car trip or a hike (yes, that has a story), but you literally don't know where on planet earth you are and can't find the direction you need to go. I have. Several times! In the beginning you stay positive. You give yourself pep talks and try to look on the bright side. But as time starts passing the frustration begins. Now you are wasting time. You just want to get back on the right path. When you still can't figure it out, the frustration moves on to real concern. Now in this stage there may be some tears shed. You feel so turned around that you feel like you are just stuck. Maybe you pull over or stop on the trail and remember the words your parents told you when you were a child:

"Now if you ever get lost, just sit in one place and wait for us to find you."  

The only problem this time is no one is looking for you. You know eventually you will have to get up and continue your efforts to navigate. When you find yourself in such a situation you will find something about yourself. Many times the most important thing you will find is you are stronger than you thought, and you can make it.

Whether you have discovered this yourself or you just have to take my word for it, You are strong. You are brave. You can handle this. You are not alone. You will make it through.

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