Do the one thing
There's a beach in Maine I'm drawn to so often that I now have two standing appointments each month on my calendar that simply say: "Reid." It's a reminder that at some time on that day, unless it's sideways raining or completely fogged in, I'm getting myself to Reid State Park for some ocean time. I'm not sure if it's the sound of the surf, the smell of the salt air and the ocean, the spectacular vistas, or the raw power I witness, but every time I'm there I feel centered and stronger. It's cheaper than therapy and almost as good.
My visit to Reid State Park today in peak summertime was early, before the crowds arrived for the day. Strong surf, and just enough breeze to cool the summer's heat. As I walked the beach and reveled in the motion of the waves, I remembered a frequent comment from a massage therapist friend: "keep moving; it's so important." And that advice was even more important today because if I sat down for too long a greenhead (nasty biting flies for anyone who's not familiar with that Maine attraction) would attack.
One of the issues I see most often with clients, and I've certainly experienced myself, is that feeling of being stuck. Sometimes there are so many options — we have so many interests to pursue — that it's hard to pick one path. Sometimes there have been too many doors closed that we're feeling unmotivated to try opening another. Sometimes we're just plain tired and not able to try. And, sometimes we need more help for deeper depression or other mental health challenges we face. It's hard to "keep moving" when you really just want to curl up in a ball.
On the local news recently there was a human-interest story about a 100-year-old man who still plays golf with his son. It was a story because of the man's age but also because of the heat wave we've all been enduring. The reporter noted that the man had spent five hours out on the course that day. When asked if he had any tips on aging well, the centenarian said his secret is "get up each morning, just get out of bed." He laughed and said, "that's it, just get up."
My advice always when we're feeling stuck is to pick the one thing, not all the things, and do that. Maybe it is just getting out of bed that day. Maybe it's making that one call to someone with a job lead. Maybe it's creating that one post on social media that lets friends know you are looking for a job. Or, maybe, if it's not possible to do the one thing, today is the day to find that mental health counselor to help. The ocean's power is movement; every visit is different because nothing has stayed the same since our last visit. Keep moving forward.
