Run Away

Do you ever feel like running away? Chucking it all and leaving with nary a good-bye? I think this is a common response when we feel overwhelmed or have too many issues going on at the same time. I recently had three major family issues all going at the same time. I could handle two, but the third one brought on the feelings of, I've got to get out of here. I could hear the knight in Monty Python's The Holy Grail saying "Run away, run away, run away!" in my head over and over. Just run away!

So while part of me truly wanted to run away to escape my problems, because I am a "somewhat" mature individual, I didn't. I muddled my way through each of the messes (none of my own making, by the way) until resolved.

In each of our lives, though, we must look at the problems and say what is the "run away" message asking of us or telling us to do. Literally, it may be saying to run away, change your life, get out of this mess. And sometimes, this is the easiest and best way to move on or transform your life situation. I don't advocate running away without a goodbye, but a planned move may be just the ticket. And other times, this is just your ego's response to the overwhelm and your need to get a little relief. Only by asking yourself questions can you assess what this message means for you. A little relief and nurturing needed or a whole life overhaul?

Oftentimes, we don't move on when we need to because of fear. The devil we do know is better than the devil we don't know as the saying goes. But if you are clear that where you are in your life is not where you want to be (career, mate, location, friends and family, etc.) and you don't believe it can be fixed, then staying is the worst thing you can do, especially for your own happiness and personal growth. Even if the move to something new causes anxiety, especially if the move to something new causes anxiety, stagnating is not the answer. The anxiety is a message that something new and possibly better is waiting for you. At the very least you will gain self-knowledge which will serve you in the future.

Here are some questions to explore this situation for yourself?

What can you learn about yourself if you stay in the situation?
What can you learn about yourself if you leave?

Is there a gift in this situation for me? A lesson I need to learn? What is it?
What good things will happen if you stay?
What good things will happen if you leave?
Are there remedies you can apply to the current situation that will make a big difference? (note that this does not include changing someone else!)
Is there a solution somewhere between staying and going? What might this look like?
How have you contributed to the mess you are in? If you are unclear, you may just recreate the situation again after you move on.
Are you truly ready for something different in your life?
Is this truly your problem?
If the problem is your family's or your friend's problem, why are you involved?
Is this what you want for your life?
And last of all, if this isn't what you want, what do you want in its place?
Running away from something rarely works, while running to something better may.

Have you ever run away as an adult? When and why? Did it solve the problem? How?

All blog content is copyrighted, all rights reserved, Mary Anne Fields and Life Unfolds, 2006