Hypnotes June 2013 ~ Steps

WHEN we were children we took small steps, unsure and uncertain of our abilities to walk, often stumbling, and sometimes hurting ourselves when falling. But we got up and we persevered, and eventually we gained our confidence and walked without effort and thought.
Through life, we often have to take small steps in our learning, relationships and planning for the future. Small steps help us learn new job roles and life responsibilities and literally everything in life which is new to us. Sometimes these steps have to be taken rapidly so that we can achieve our own goals and the expectations of others, this rush can often be successful, but it is also fraught with danger.
Sometimes there is a temptation to rush into situations when we are eager to move on, or when we are overly confident in our abilities, or when our assessment of a situation is flawed. And at those times, when we ‘come a cropper’ when our abilities do not match the requirements of a problem or situation, we stumble and fall, not as the child, but our confidence takes a pounding, our ego is dented, and failure is experienced, sometimes ridicule follows when others thought we should have known better.
There is much to be said about small steps, even Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, mentioned “one small step” as he touched the lunar surface for the very first time. At times when we realise we need help we are hesitant to even acknowledge that need, when we do acknowledge it, we seek help, and when we are confident that the help found is just what we are looking for, we want to rush forward, confident in the support we receive. But as mentioned earlier, rushing in is not always as simple as it seems.
It is often wiser to be sure of the situation and certain in our abilities before we rush in to any situation. Sometimes I have to stop clients rushing ahead too quickly, because every journey needs small steps. If we leap ahead, some of those small developing progressive steps are missed, and that leads to familiarity being missed, uncertainty being felt in the future, and eventually the individual would have to re-trace their steps, find what they are missing and then take those steps which provide the necessary firm foundation of knowledge and familiarity for the future, they are in effect set-back by their initial decision to leap ahead. It can feel like the equivalent of the name on the tip- of the tongue feeling, you know you should know it but just can’t manage to remember it, where the experience leaper in fact didn’t know or learn from the start!
Most clients however allow themselves to be guided and supported, they respond to the encouragement given, and take their small steps in a structured, progressive, organised and informed way, which provides the firm foundation for a confident, comfortable future.
There is no problem that cannot be resolved, or re-framed or changed in some positive way with structure, understanding and a safe environment to work in.
It is my view that being patient, allowing yourself to learn in a safe structured, supported way, is preferable to the alternative. So when you need a structured supportive service you know where I am, I’m here to help!