Behind the curtain is another curtain

Many people I meet want to know where they are headed, what is going to happen next. These people seem to get fixated on the future at the expense of the present.

So I reflected further on this concept today.

A blocked view



Our life is like a series of curtains blocking our view. What we see in front of us, in our view now, is all that we can see. Yet when you finally move the curtain what happens? A new curtain appears. Why because you have reached the next stage of your journey, whatever it is that you are seeking.

On another level, you can push through the present moment only to end up in another present moment.

So for example imagine that you are standing in front of a curtain. You can not see what is on the other side. You can approach this situation in two ways. You can worry and wonder about what is on the other side. Or you can focus on the curtain until it is time to pull it away.

Different kinds of curtains

Now the curtain can represent all kinds of things in your life. I am sure you can come up with some comparisons in your life. However lets try a few here.

One example might be a decision to embark on learning a new skill. It could be a personal skill, like public speaking or perhaps a more physical one like surfing. At the start of the learning you might see the curtain in your way as your inability to be successful in this skill. So for some the curtain might be really heavy and thick and others slight and almost veil like.

Either way there is still something in your way - a block.

It depends on how you look at it

A block can be viewed as an opportunity or a burden depending on how you approach it.

Continuing with our skill development example. Imagine that you have been asked to speak on behalf of your company for the first time at a public seminar. So far your only experience is running a team meeting and giving an update on the business.

So if you are like most peole I have met this scenario would start to loom larger than life as scary and maybe even undesireable. You start focusing on the event farthest from where you are right now.

Instead of focusing on that future expectation of having to do the presentation, it is much less stressful and easier on everyone to focus on now. Look at what you can do now and how to incrementally move forward from this place.

One curtain at a time

Using the curtain analogy look only at what is in front of you and trust that the next step will be the right one when you are ready.

Instead of going so far out to the event from a state of awareness of what you know now, change your focus. Imagine that between now and the event you have a series of curtains, not just one. Each curtain is a stage of success and achievement when you get through them. It is up to you to focus on the one immediately in front of you so you can remove it and go to the next one.

Can do approach



Figuring out how to remove this block means working through the steps that allow you to develop the new skill. Start with what you know and CAN DO and add to this rather than what you can't and worry about ever being able to.

To seek with only the expectation that you will get to the end outcome at the start of the journey defeats the experience and learning of the journey. (Of course I still believe we need to hold the vision in our heads of what we desire as an outcome - however this is a totally separate topic).

So let the curtains that hang in your way be reminders to take your time and enjoy the process of getting where you are going.

Let's go there...

Jenn