"The map is not the territory" Alfred Korzybski. Using Google Maps will sometimes require rerouting the journey planner to arrive at my intended destination. I know the technology works, and I’m also aware GPS signals can be disrupted by several factors which result in reduced accuracy.
Metaphorically speaking, sometimes we experience dysfunction with our brain's GPS signals due to several factors. This results in receiving insufficient information to proceed where we want to go. If our brain has not accessed updated data about changes in the journey route it may feel like we have lost our sense of direction in life.
I recently discovered that to view the terrain features: hills, ridges, valleys, saddles, and depressions in Google Maps requires tapping the layers button. Like this hidden terrain view on our phones, we experience life challenges that we didn’t foresee. As natural disasters can scar the landscape, unexpected life events can leave us scarred and vulnerable.
Acknowledging that life hasn’t gone as planned may feel like an admission of failure, but I encourage my clients that life is a journey and that our desired destination can be achieved by choosing other options available to us.
When we encounter signs for detours or new road layouts on a familiar route that we drive, we know they signify repair work is in progress or improved travel conditions are now in place. This can be the same for us when we need to reroute our life journey - it can be considered a work in progress or an improvement to what was.
Sometimes, we face a direction change due to circumstances we have no control over. Experiencing death, divorce, diagnosis, distancing from loved ones, or a disappointing outcome can feel like a major roadblock that prevents us from moving forward with life. When we can view these life events as a hill, ridge, valley, saddle, or depression to navigate around, we reset the GPS in our brain to accommodate the revised journey plan.
Knowing the best route to achieve where we want our life to go will need constant reviewing - it will always be a journey of a lifetime.
Trish: Online Life Coach & Counsellor
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