I love the TV show West Wing. I like everything about it. I don't have TV right now so I watch videos and I watch the West Wing. Yesterday during an episode President Bartlet was playing chess with Sam. Now President Bartlet, for those you who do not know, is brilliant. So they are playing chess and Sam is focusing and focusing on what move to make next. All President Bartlet calmly keeps saying over and over is "Look at the whole board Sam, look at the whole board."
It struck me as very good advise for us as we move forward. Look at the whole board, look at the whole board. Not just where we have been...not just at where we are...or even where we want to go. Look at the whole board.
Appreciate where we have been, how far we have come already. Heh, we recognized that we were down! That's a big deal! Truly it is. Now we are getting up. Another big deal. We are getting rid of what has weighed us down. Another big deal. We are willing to help someone else as we move forward. Another big deal. We are looking ahead figuring out where we want to go not where we simply end up by happen stance. A very big deal.
By looking at the whole board...which to us is our life. We can get motivation for going forward, a pat on on back for recognizing how far we have already come and gather resources to take us where we want to go.
You simply do not get the whole view if you don't look at the whole board. So I would challenge you over the next few days to take out some paper and write down where you are, how far you have already come and if you have an idea yet...where do you want to go. If you don't know where you want to go yet. Don't worry. You will be figuring that out as we go long.
Before I go...another exercise to help you put things out to the curb that are holding you back.
Equipment you will need: books, a bag or a backpack. Paper and something to write with and if you want tape.
This will give you an idea of how much you are carrying around with you. On each piece a paper write something that is bothering you. Your partner who left you, your money issues, your job search, your jerk of a boss, the illness you just learned you have, the death of someone that is so hard to bear. Whatever you are carrying...write it on a piece of paper. Then tape each piece to the front of a book. An issue a book...when you are done put them in a bag or a backpack and carry them around the block...go ahead..do it. If you are like me it's hard to get out of the door! Carry them for just awhile. Then come back. Put them down and walk the same distance without them. Notice a difference? I would thing so!
Recognition is the first step. Most of us don't even know what we carry. We cannot move forward with the same grace when we are carrying such a heavy load. So we are going to work to lighten the load. That's our goal.
Let's look at the whole board.
Look at it, own it and deal with it. It's ours after all...and we get the next move :)
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