Two Steps Back…

“I kept taking one step forward and two back. Then I went all the way around backwards and arrived where I had dreamed of going.” ― Bryant McGill

When I look at what’s going on in the world right now, I take comfort in the wise (but not easy to experience) phrase “two steps forward and one step back.” Only in this case it feels like a big two steps backward!

Even with these steps backward either out of necessity to learn something vital or a misguided attempt to return to the old ways, there is hope and often clarity to be found when we see this experience as a process of growth.

“Growth is an erratic forward movement: two steps forward, one step back. Remember that and be very gentle with yourself.” ― Julia Cameron

I’m also reminded of Flint Sparks’ wisdom in titling his talk in March “Getting Back to Normal and Other Lies We Tell Ourselves.” How much of our “two steps back” personally and in the world right now might be because we yearn to get back to whatever normal was for us before the world started changing so rapidly?

Things can get messy when we dig in our heels and don’t want to grow when the universe clearly has other plans. Julia Cameron’s reminder to be very gentle with ourselves combined with compassion for those caught in a tug of war with the call to change and grow can help us find peace and hope.

May you be gentle with yourself if you’re caught in the backward movement of growth and trust―like spring’s life-giving energy―that your growth and movement forward is assured.

P.S. If you want to experience or revisit Flint Spark’s wisdom from his Eremos program Getting Back to Normal and Other Lies We Tell Ourselves, you can make a donation at a level that works for you to view it online for 60 days HERE.

A Gentle Step Back