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| It's all in the Question How does it get better than this? How do I have better, create better, feel better or how do I do better than this? |
| Heal your Heart - Love your Body - Live your Joy! Simply Stunning! A beautiful and profound healing experience 3 guided meditations on one CD. Access higher wisdom, intuition and insights. Change habits and activate healing energies. Full description. Read what others say Sound samples and instant downloads |
It dawned on me that Clarence Road ran parallel to the creek and that although we had only ever accessed it
from the barking dog’s farm, it was very likely that the creek would be a short distance from where we were
sitting. Obviously there was no track, I might have been wrong, it would be difficult and we could get lost. I
thought it was worth trying but the others were reluctant. Roslyn was worried about ticks and leeches. Rosie
assured her that ticks could be pulled out and you just put salt on leeches and they fell off. We also discussed
the possibility of snakes, quicksand and bandits.
My sister was the smallest and youngest of the group. She was also the bravest and the most rational. She
suggested that we had already made it this far into the bush and although it had been a little scary and
difficult, we had not only made it, but we had been rewarded with oranges. She thought that if we tried to go
in just a little further we could always turn around and come back if it got too hard. She further pointed out
that everyone was free to turn back at anytime and that there was no harm in trying.
It really didn’t take much at all to reach the creek. We were exuberant when we got there. Although hot,
tired, sweaty, dirty and covered in scratches we felt powerful and proud.
There was no jetty but there were some very large logs to sit on. The best part of it all was that no one else
knew about this place, no one could shoo us off and it was only half as far out as the old farm house. There
was also a very large rock which was like a mini-cave, and of course, the advantage of the orange tree just
up the track.
The following week we noticed a faint pathway through the bush where we had struggled the week before.
Knowing where we were going and no longer being afraid of the dangers made the trip in very easy and fast.
Within a few short weeks that pathway became very clear and accessible. We now had a better place which
was faster and easier to get to and was free of mean old men, barking dogs and wicked witches.
A lot of years have passed and a lot of things have changed over the years, but my childhood memories are
as clear as if they were only a few weeks ago. Often I find myself recalling events from childhood and
marvelling at how defining that time was in directing the course of my life. Simple events, like the day on
Clarence Road, return to me now as metaphors and bring new insights into who I am today.
The most obvious thing I relate to about that day is that we had tried many times and in many ways to outwit
the dog and the old man; we were pretty clever, resourceful and creative. Most of the time we did manage to
get through, but it was always an obstacle and caused us quite a bit of apprehension and irritation.
Looking back now, I see how much simpler it would have been if we had just considered a better alternative
sooner than we did. We wasted time, effort and energy in worrying about the dog - scheming and inventing
new tactics. The goal was always to get to the creek. The problem was always the farmhouse occupants.
We probably found a dozen solutions to the problem. Although most of them worked, most of the time, it
still remained an ongoing challenge.
This kind of scenario has played out in many ways over the years. I keep reminding myself that the right
solution is not always about the given problem.
It’s not always about finding the solution - it’s more about defining the problem.
In focusing on the man, the dog and the witch, we had forgotten that our main goal was to get to the creek.
The solution was to be found in looking for a better or at least a different, way to get to the creek. We
became tunnel-visioned when we insisted on our own answers being the best or the only way. We forgot to
explore new and better ideas because we were lost within making our answers fit.
I reflect back on the time and emotional energy I have spent trying to make relationships, situations, jobs or
people change into whom or what I thought I needed or wanted. I have shed tears and spent many sleepless
nights desperately wanting things to be the way I wanted them to be. Often it turned out to be about letting
go, moving on or just changing myself or my perception. Many, many times there have been better or
different ways but I couldn’t see them because I was so involved with fixing what I had and being stubborn
about how it should be.
Instead of asking, “How do I fix this problem?” we need to re-word the question and ask, “What exactly is
the problem and how do I achieve the best possible outcome?”
On Clarence road, we were defining the problem as the old man, the dog and the witch, when we should
have asked, “Is there a better or faster way to get to the creek?” Too often, we are so caught up in fixing the
problem that we forget what the goal is.
The Same Old Place
I see so many people going over and over the same old ground, in the same old way, and ending up in the
same old place.
People with money, health, weight or relationship problems today will probably have to admit that those
same problems have been played out over and over, year after year. Why? Because we keep asking the
same questions and coming up with the same or similar answers.
Instead of asking, “How can I earn more money?” the question might be, “How do I spend more wisely or
how do I reduce my expenses?”
Instead of taking painkillers or anti-depressants, perhaps you need to ask questions like, “Why am I always
so tired and stressed?”
Instead of looking at the newest diets and gimmicks to lose weight, perhaps you could try questioning your
relationship with food or focus more on increasing joy and reducing stress.
Regardless of what the current problem is, if it is a repetitious cycle then the standard questions and solutions
are not working. Changing the definition of the question will often bring about better solutions.
How do I have better, create better, feel better or how do I do better than this?
Copyright Sonya Green
Click NEXT button for Part 2
from the barking dog’s farm, it was very likely that the creek would be a short distance from where we were
sitting. Obviously there was no track, I might have been wrong, it would be difficult and we could get lost. I
thought it was worth trying but the others were reluctant. Roslyn was worried about ticks and leeches. Rosie
assured her that ticks could be pulled out and you just put salt on leeches and they fell off. We also discussed
the possibility of snakes, quicksand and bandits.
My sister was the smallest and youngest of the group. She was also the bravest and the most rational. She
suggested that we had already made it this far into the bush and although it had been a little scary and
difficult, we had not only made it, but we had been rewarded with oranges. She thought that if we tried to go
in just a little further we could always turn around and come back if it got too hard. She further pointed out
that everyone was free to turn back at anytime and that there was no harm in trying.
It really didn’t take much at all to reach the creek. We were exuberant when we got there. Although hot,
tired, sweaty, dirty and covered in scratches we felt powerful and proud.
There was no jetty but there were some very large logs to sit on. The best part of it all was that no one else
knew about this place, no one could shoo us off and it was only half as far out as the old farm house. There
was also a very large rock which was like a mini-cave, and of course, the advantage of the orange tree just
up the track.
The following week we noticed a faint pathway through the bush where we had struggled the week before.
Knowing where we were going and no longer being afraid of the dangers made the trip in very easy and fast.
Within a few short weeks that pathway became very clear and accessible. We now had a better place which
was faster and easier to get to and was free of mean old men, barking dogs and wicked witches.
A lot of years have passed and a lot of things have changed over the years, but my childhood memories are
as clear as if they were only a few weeks ago. Often I find myself recalling events from childhood and
marvelling at how defining that time was in directing the course of my life. Simple events, like the day on
Clarence Road, return to me now as metaphors and bring new insights into who I am today.
The most obvious thing I relate to about that day is that we had tried many times and in many ways to outwit
the dog and the old man; we were pretty clever, resourceful and creative. Most of the time we did manage to
get through, but it was always an obstacle and caused us quite a bit of apprehension and irritation.
Looking back now, I see how much simpler it would have been if we had just considered a better alternative
sooner than we did. We wasted time, effort and energy in worrying about the dog - scheming and inventing
new tactics. The goal was always to get to the creek. The problem was always the farmhouse occupants.
We probably found a dozen solutions to the problem. Although most of them worked, most of the time, it
still remained an ongoing challenge.
This kind of scenario has played out in many ways over the years. I keep reminding myself that the right
solution is not always about the given problem.
It’s not always about finding the solution - it’s more about defining the problem.
In focusing on the man, the dog and the witch, we had forgotten that our main goal was to get to the creek.
The solution was to be found in looking for a better or at least a different, way to get to the creek. We
became tunnel-visioned when we insisted on our own answers being the best or the only way. We forgot to
explore new and better ideas because we were lost within making our answers fit.
I reflect back on the time and emotional energy I have spent trying to make relationships, situations, jobs or
people change into whom or what I thought I needed or wanted. I have shed tears and spent many sleepless
nights desperately wanting things to be the way I wanted them to be. Often it turned out to be about letting
go, moving on or just changing myself or my perception. Many, many times there have been better or
different ways but I couldn’t see them because I was so involved with fixing what I had and being stubborn
about how it should be.
Instead of asking, “How do I fix this problem?” we need to re-word the question and ask, “What exactly is
the problem and how do I achieve the best possible outcome?”
On Clarence road, we were defining the problem as the old man, the dog and the witch, when we should
have asked, “Is there a better or faster way to get to the creek?” Too often, we are so caught up in fixing the
problem that we forget what the goal is.
The Same Old Place
I see so many people going over and over the same old ground, in the same old way, and ending up in the
same old place.
People with money, health, weight or relationship problems today will probably have to admit that those
same problems have been played out over and over, year after year. Why? Because we keep asking the
same questions and coming up with the same or similar answers.
Instead of asking, “How can I earn more money?” the question might be, “How do I spend more wisely or
how do I reduce my expenses?”
Instead of taking painkillers or anti-depressants, perhaps you need to ask questions like, “Why am I always
so tired and stressed?”
Instead of looking at the newest diets and gimmicks to lose weight, perhaps you could try questioning your
relationship with food or focus more on increasing joy and reducing stress.
Regardless of what the current problem is, if it is a repetitious cycle then the standard questions and solutions
are not working. Changing the definition of the question will often bring about better solutions.
How do I have better, create better, feel better or how do I do better than this?
Copyright Sonya Green
Click NEXT button for Part 2
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Creating New Pathways
Clarence Road was a long dirt track which led to the creek. When we were
kids, we would walk the two or three miles to the end of the road and spend
most Saturday afternoons hanging out around a small jetty. We were
adventurous and imaginative. Down by the creek we could be anyone - it was
our own private world, free of adults and a place of freedom and possibilities.
We were greatly influenced by television shows such as Tarzan, Robin Hood,
Annie Oakley, Bonanza, Daniel Boone and Disney’s Adventure Land. The
creek was surrounded by thick bush and long grass, the creek bank was
muddy, slippery and full of small holes made by little crabs. Occasionally,
someone would be silly enough to leave a small rowboat tied to the jetty. By
the laws of childhood, it became ours for the day.
Sometimes, we would just sit and talk. As most of us had recently taken up
smoking, it was a good place to have a fag and rule the world. Most of the
time, we were good guys catching bad guys. Most of the day was spent acting
out as our childhood heroes. We made bows and arrows out of branches and
string, and tied ropes to trees to swing from. The creek bank was always
referred to as quick sand and the creek was full of crocodiles and giant
snakes. Somewhere deep down at the bottom of the creek there was a
treasure chest, but we never found it as the creek was patrolled by pirates and
underwater villains.
The problem with getting to the creek was that we needed to walk through a
mean old man’s farm. He would come out and abuse us and order his mad
barking dog to chase us off. The dog was a fearsome creature and an effective
deterrent. As we had already decided that the old man was married to a
wicked witch who killed children, it was pretty easy for him to run us off and
ruin our day.
It was bad enough that we couldn’t get to the creek, but what really annoyed
us was that after walking the long miles there, we had to turn around and walk
all the miles back again. Summertime was often extremely hot and we greatly
resented not being allowed to cool off at the creek.
Even though we could outshoot and outsmart the meanest of men in our
adventures, we were greatly intimidated by the old man, the witch and the dog.
One day on the long and hot walk home about half way along Clarence Road,
I noticed an orange tree about 100 metres into the scrub. Tired, disappointed
and thirsty, I bounded into the long grass and over fallen branches to claim my
bounty. The others stood and watched calling out to be careful, someone
yelled at me to come back and warned me about snakes.
I started picking oranges with the intention of gathering as many as I could
cradle in my tee shirt to take back to the others. Then I thought it would be
better and much easier if they would just follow me in and help themselves.
They kept insisting that I should come out and I kept insisting that they should
come in. I wanted to sit for a while under the shade of the trees and eat my
oranges. They kept making excuses about how hard it was to struggle through
the bush and all of the possible dangers.
When they realized that I was not coming out and saw me sitting back sucking
on an orange, they finally gave in and decided to join me. They muttered and
grizzled and struggled with the thick overgrown bushes. I laughed as they
climbed over rocks and branches and held onto each other to keep their
balance.
Cigarettes are hard to come by when you’re a kid. I remember sitting there
that day sharing the only one we had. We were feeling quite proud of
ourselves and started kidding each other, joking and just having a pretty good
time in our new frontier.
Clarence Road was a long dirt track which led to the creek. When we were
kids, we would walk the two or three miles to the end of the road and spend
most Saturday afternoons hanging out around a small jetty. We were
adventurous and imaginative. Down by the creek we could be anyone - it was
our own private world, free of adults and a place of freedom and possibilities.
We were greatly influenced by television shows such as Tarzan, Robin Hood,
Annie Oakley, Bonanza, Daniel Boone and Disney’s Adventure Land. The
creek was surrounded by thick bush and long grass, the creek bank was
muddy, slippery and full of small holes made by little crabs. Occasionally,
someone would be silly enough to leave a small rowboat tied to the jetty. By
the laws of childhood, it became ours for the day.
Sometimes, we would just sit and talk. As most of us had recently taken up
smoking, it was a good place to have a fag and rule the world. Most of the
time, we were good guys catching bad guys. Most of the day was spent acting
out as our childhood heroes. We made bows and arrows out of branches and
string, and tied ropes to trees to swing from. The creek bank was always
referred to as quick sand and the creek was full of crocodiles and giant
snakes. Somewhere deep down at the bottom of the creek there was a
treasure chest, but we never found it as the creek was patrolled by pirates and
underwater villains.
The problem with getting to the creek was that we needed to walk through a
mean old man’s farm. He would come out and abuse us and order his mad
barking dog to chase us off. The dog was a fearsome creature and an effective
deterrent. As we had already decided that the old man was married to a
wicked witch who killed children, it was pretty easy for him to run us off and
ruin our day.
It was bad enough that we couldn’t get to the creek, but what really annoyed
us was that after walking the long miles there, we had to turn around and walk
all the miles back again. Summertime was often extremely hot and we greatly
resented not being allowed to cool off at the creek.
Even though we could outshoot and outsmart the meanest of men in our
adventures, we were greatly intimidated by the old man, the witch and the dog.
One day on the long and hot walk home about half way along Clarence Road,
I noticed an orange tree about 100 metres into the scrub. Tired, disappointed
and thirsty, I bounded into the long grass and over fallen branches to claim my
bounty. The others stood and watched calling out to be careful, someone
yelled at me to come back and warned me about snakes.
I started picking oranges with the intention of gathering as many as I could
cradle in my tee shirt to take back to the others. Then I thought it would be
better and much easier if they would just follow me in and help themselves.
They kept insisting that I should come out and I kept insisting that they should
come in. I wanted to sit for a while under the shade of the trees and eat my
oranges. They kept making excuses about how hard it was to struggle through
the bush and all of the possible dangers.
When they realized that I was not coming out and saw me sitting back sucking
on an orange, they finally gave in and decided to join me. They muttered and
grizzled and struggled with the thick overgrown bushes. I laughed as they
climbed over rocks and branches and held onto each other to keep their
balance.
Cigarettes are hard to come by when you’re a kid. I remember sitting there
that day sharing the only one we had. We were feeling quite proud of
ourselves and started kidding each other, joking and just having a pretty good
time in our new frontier.
| Heal your heart, Love your body and claim your Joy! These articles are now available in paperback. Click the book cover to find out more. |
| EBook also available. Instant download - only $8 |
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someone who would benefit from visiting these pages - Trust Your Intuition and send them the link.
If you would like to copy an article to your site or blog, you are welcome to do so, but must note copyright
Sonya Green and refer to www.reinventingmyself.com
If you would like to support this site you might consider emailing in suggestions or comments, a small donation,
purchasing a product or visiting the links to our sponsors.