SOLUTIONS TO YOUR PROBLEMS
Discover the real & effective key to all your difficulties
Most people have difficulty with at least one part of their lives. It could be family, work, partner, friends or frustration with achievements, physical health… every one of us has some part of our life that does not work the way we want. And most people also have an idea about what would make life better… and that idea is almost always wrong.
WHY ARE SO MANY OF US SO FREQUENTLY WRONG ABOUT THE SOLUTION TO OUR PROBLEMS?
The following ancient Sufi story has the answer. Many years ago, there lived a man named Nasruddin. One night a neighbor found him on his hands and knees beneath a street lamp apparently searching for something in the grass. The neighbor asked, ‘What are you doing, Nasruddin?” Nasruddin replied “I am searching for my key.” His neighbor wanted to help so he asked, “Where did you lose it?” Nasruddin said, “In my house.” When the surprised neighbor asked why Nasruddin was looking outside under the street lamp for his key, Nasruddin replied, “There is more light out here!” The funny and sad message of this old story is that most of us are like Nasruddin. We look in all the wrong
places for the key to our difficulties. Like him, we persist in looking outside instead of inside… and we continue to suffer. It exists in our own heart and mind, in our attitudes, beliefs, expectations, habits, decisions, emotions and thinking patterns. We can change our clothes, our living situation, our income, our weight, our partner, our car and every other external thing but still our difficulties show up and show up and show up. We become the poster child for Einstein’s famous definition of insanity, “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.” Apparently, he knew Nasruddin well. And apparently, so do many of us.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THIS: SINCE THE ANSWER TO ALMOST ALL OUR DIFFICULTIES IS INTERNAL, WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!
We all have the power to make internal changes that cause massive positive changes in every aspect of our lives. All of us! If we are always so close to the answers, then why don’t we look inward? Because of fear of the dark and inner self, we want
"The real & effective key to all our difficulties is internal."
to stay outside where we are comfortable and safe and we can blame others or circumstances. But the surprising truth is, once we find the courage to take even a couple of steps into our dark inner places, we discover that healing, happy things begin to occur. Our inner selves are not as scary as we thought. And, then we realize that looking outside ourselves has been pretty much a waste of time and we become enthusiastic about our growth. So, the message for today is this: If you want to keep your current troubles, stay outside with Nasruddin.
Dr Matthew Anderson has a Doctor of Ministry specialising in counselling. He has extensive training and experience in Gestalt and Jungian Psychology and has helped many people successfully navigate relationship issues. Dr Anderson has a best-selling book, ‘The Resurrection of Romance’ and he may be contacted via his website.
"If you want positive, meaningful change in your life, look inward. It's your choice."