Peeling the Onion

Ever have…

That pit in your stomach that feels like a 20-pound medicine ball?

Inability to concentrate on any task because your mind is consumed with what seems like an unsolvable problem?

The weight of the world on your shoulders that you just cannot shrug off?

A feeling of foreboding gloom but you can’t pinpoint the source of the feeling?

I do too.

And then I peel the onion.

As I walk, or drive, or just pause and think about the feeling, I peel that pungent onion down to its core. Layer by layer, identifying and stripping away all of the things that are out of my control. Until the core of the feeling and the source of my angst is revealed.

Focusing on what is within my control, I often find that the only thing I can truly control is me. My thinking, my behavior, my approach to solving the problem. And, then I decide what I am going to do about it. Not what I wish others would do, not an educational policy that I wish would change, not a money tree that I wish would grow in my backyard. No wishes, just an action plan for me.

Ironically, when that pit in my stomach feels the heaviest, the core of my problem is directly tied to feelings of lack of control. And the solution is directly tied to figuring out what is within my control. And, in this crazy world, there is always one thing within my control. Me.

“You cannot always control what goes on outside. But you can always control what goes on inside.” -Wayne Dyer

Author’s note: I am so excited to share more about peeling the onion, the power of relationships, and other strategies to take control of our lives in my upcoming book, “The Path to Serendipity: Discover the Gifts Along Life’s Journey”. It will be published this spring by Dave and Shelley Burgess. Learn more HERE or watch this one-minute video.

Image source HERE

 

 

2 thoughts on “Peeling the Onion”

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top