I went to Europe in the summer of 1992, and one of the places I visited was Berlin. Walking along parts of what used to be the Berlin Wall, I picked up a small piece of it as a keepsake. This concrete barrier that once split that city into east and west zones seemed permanent before 1989. It is now a historical study.
Emotional issues may sometimes make us think we face a Berlin Wall of obstacles. If you feel depressed or anxious, you might feel it will last longer than you can foresee. Problems pile on one another, and you feel buried to the point of not taking any positive action.
If you reach the point of letting life immobilize you, then the time has come to set some positive energy in motion. Some people in East Berlin saw it as an agent of containment, while others saw it as something to breach or overcome. Seeing emotional problems as needing action and attention becomes helpful.
Positive action could involve taking those classes that lead you to a new career. It could involve getting in touch with that person who needs your presence. Organizing a room to make it a more pleasant living environment works the same way. What matters is setting a plan in motion and enjoying the results of it.
Feeling stuck at an uncomfortable place in life is something most people want to avoid. On an emotional level this sometimes means that you cannot get rid of a particular emotion. One way to dismiss troubling feelings is finding a healthy distraction.
Engaging in a favorite or new hobby is helpful. You could change the way you interact with someone or you could refresh an outworn daily routine.
Though rituals are comforting, changing just one aspect of something you do on a regular basis makes it seem fresh.
Small adjustments like this can make what seemed like a Berlin Wall of inertia and inaction start moving in the direction you want it to go. It is important to begin the process of identifying any areas of your life that could benefit from even the smallest adjustments. Doing this allows you to watch as your wall of negativity crumbles.
Such an outlook is beneficial for any marriage or significant relationship you have. Traveling to places you have never visited enlivens and enriches your life as a couple. You may reach new insights and understandings of each other that would not have come to your attention.
I use my Berlin Wall memento as a reminder that what seems immovable is just as subject to change as life is. Constructive changes are always possible in your present moment, and deciding what changes may be necessary is the first motivating action you take. Just remember: some people said that thick wall in Berlin would stand forever.
Scott Toler is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor living in Plant City. He can be reached at etoler25@tampabay.rr.com.