I recently noticed that it was hard to hold some of the positions in my standing Qi Gong practice and that I’d been allowing myself to shorten the session. What, I wondered, would happen if I took it two steps past hard. Not one step – that’s easy. But two steps, steps that took a little effort, took some determination. Steps that could also lead to improvement or even a breakthrough.
Acknowledge the stuck place
You know the adage “use it or lose it”? The older we get the more important that is. Particularly with our body – and our brain. I’m giving my brain plenty of exercise, but my body, not so much. I need to take my body two steps past hard.
Baby step or giant step?
I’m a determined person. So once I decide that I really do want to push through something, I settle into the harness and move forward. It doesn’t really matter what size step you take as long as it moves you past your stuck place.
When I was learning Scrivener writing software, I had to watch the beginning tutorial five or six times; and each time I mastered a new small step.
Each time I edit a podcast I get better at the process. The same is true with videos, I’m getting more proficient with each one I do. Sometimes moving past the stuck place is simply a matter of persistent practice.
Choose your steps
My stuck place is that in my creative hurry to get to my computer to start writing, I shortchange my standing Qi Gong practice. And yet this is a valuable part of my morning spiritual practice. I simply need to hold each position for a longer period of time. And yes, my muscles are not particularly happy with that!
So I have to take two or even three steps past that hard place – every day.
Acknowledge your victory
And you know what? The minute I hold those positions longer, I’m going to feel very pleased with myself. I’m going to feel confident that I can do even more. I will feel that I’m on the road to reclaiming some of my body strength. And soon I’ll be back to holding the positions even longer than I thought was possible.
All because of taking two steps past the hard place.
Where are you stuck?
Your stuck place may be a subtle internal stuck place or a noticeable physical plane stuck place. You can work on either – or both. I can identify a few too many subtle stuck places when it comes to learning new technical stuff. But once I take it to the other side of stuck, I find wonderful new opportunities open to me.
What is hard for you?
What did you do in the past that you can’t or won’t do any more? If it has to do with your body getting older, find some alternative strength-building ideas and put them into action. If you are stuck emotionally, go deeper within to find your answers – meditate, journal, mind-map, talk to someone – whatever it takes to identify where you’re stuck and to figure out two steps to take you past that point.
“Hard” is created by being unyielding
Hard is about being resistant and rigid. It’s about being inflexible. It can also come from gradually letting things slide.
But hard also means being strong and unbeatable. Drop your resistance to change. Embrace the goal you know you need to achieve. And start working toward it. Two steps at a time. Two steps past hard.
To Sing a Deeper Song Consider:
Learn to Honor Your Inner Rhythm
The Freedom of Not knowing
Lose Your Attachment to the Outcome
The Power of Exploring the Unknown
42 – The Stuck Place Called Decision
35—How to Hold the Space for Change.
