Trapped?

A while back, I got a call from a friend who was struggling with a frustrating situation involving her workplace, and she felt helpless to do anything about it. Unfortunately, she was having panic attacks because she was so anxious and fearful about the situation, and needed some help. It was clear to me that this young woman, whom I'll call Sara, was unable to see her options, and as a result was trapped in an uncomfortable and unfortunate position.

In my experience, feeling trapped in a situation is a very common challenge we all face at various times. After all, we are creatures of habit, and even though we may claim we like change, when something threatens our status quo, it can feel more like the rug has been pulled out from under us rather than an opportunity for us to move ahead. I advised Sara to spend time thinking about what was most important to her in her current work position.

I also asked Sara to consider how much joy and comfort she was actually getting from her job in light of the current situation. Was it so important to her to remain in a situation that was causing her so much grief? Was it the only option she had? In asking these questions, I had a specific intention. I wanted to help Sara look at what her job meant to her and to see if she should consider other options. Sometimes, when we examine our motivations, we begin to realize that they aren't what we thought they were.

I am happy that soon after that meeting, Sara contacted me and confided that the work we had done together had given her a new perspective. She concluded that her job wasn't really the best thing for her, and had started exploring other options that she wouldn't have considered previously. She had decided to look for another job doing something she had always wanted to do. And interestingly enough, her panic attacks had completely disappeared!

As you can probably guess, Sara is now glad that the circumstances at her old job forced her to take stock of what she really wanted in life and to let go of a situation that was unhealthy for her. Letting go isn't always easy, but choosing to let go when you realize it is time can change your life for the better.

I hope this story prompts you to look at your own life to see if there are aspects of it that are no longer serving you as you need them to. Then you could see how to alter them to suit your best interests. Now that's a worthwhile goal for the New Year!