Feeling Trapped?
April 25, 2017
A Chinese handcuff is a toy, a small bamboo tube, about four inches long. You stick an index finger in each end. Then when you pull, you’re trapped. The harder you pull, the more stuck you get. Your instinctive reaction—not the handcuffs—keeps you trapped. To set yourself free you have to take certain steps. Letting go isn’t enough. You have to relax, then gently push in before you can pull yourself loose.
When my friend tells me to remember the Chinese handcuffs thing, he’s reminding me that sometimes taking action means relaxing and doing the opposite of what our instincts tell us to do.
Application: If we have tried to do something a hundred times, and the way we’re doing it hasn’t worked, it probably still won’t the next time. It may be time to take action and do something else.
From the desk of Melody Beattie
Originally posted November 27, 2014
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About the author
In addiction and recovery circles, Melody Beattie is a household name. She is the best-selling author of numerous books.
One of Melody's more recent titles is The Grief Club, which was published in 2006. This inspirational book gives the reader an inside look at the miraculous phenomenon that occurs after loss--the being welcomed into a new "club" of sorts, a circle of people who have lived through similar grief and pain, whether it be the loss of a child, a spouse, a career, or even one's youth.
For more information about Melody and her books, visit the author's official website