As we experience this adventure called life, there are many obstructions that can appear clouding our path toward success and contentment. Obstructions can be as small and annoying as speed bumps. These bumps can be endured if taken at the right speed and angle but if they go unnoticed, they can create substantial damage. At a minimum, the speed bumps of life keep us from experiencing our life more fully. Another type of obstruction is the roadblock. We can be cruising along the road of life and then our path may be completely blocked. Now what? How do we get back to forward movement? These obstructions can come through various ways in the human experience such as the following:
Emotional. Emotions and feelings are transient or changing, but they can feel strong and even debilitating. Feelings like depression, anxiety, and loneliness can at times be so heavy and burdensome that getting out of bed can seem impossible. Rather than decreasing in rate of experience, research shows that more and more people struggle with these feelings at some point in their lifetime.
Social. Since Covid people have become more isolated from one another. Though the levels of interaction in the last couple years have increased, many people still have not returned to the office. I understand the draw of this, but not returning to the office can foster isolation. Isolation can increase feelings of depression and loneliness, as we tend to be social creatures.
Relationships. Our relationships with other people play an integral part in how we see ourselves and how we interact with the world. Relationships with family and friends can easily be strained, creating divides that seem irreparable. Romantic relationships fit in this category as well and can fall on a continuum, from wanting to explore dating to preparing to end a marriage and the many steps and pathways between.
Physical. Sometimes physical barriers present themselves. A change in mobility or a cancer diagnosis is sure to have an impact on any one of us. Each physical barrier can change how we see ourselves and how we interact with others and our environment. We can also feel very alone as a result, like no one understands.
Psychological. There is quite a mix of barriers contained under this heading. Psychological barriers can be as simple as having a problem where the solution or alternative eludes the individual. More pervasive issues may include unclear, distorted, or all or nothing thinking. An area of increased difficulty I have seen in my work in recent years, is with transitional movements. Life stage transitions seem to be plagued by increased apprehension and anxiety. These troubled transitions include, but are not limited to, the transition from elementary school to high school, college to the working world, dating to marriage and winding down one’s working life.
Behavioral. Sometimes we engage in behaviors that we either don’t understand or wish we could change. These barriers may be having difficulty making eye contact with someone you are interacting with or more negatively impactful like self-harm or cutting. Creating new behaviors is often difficult to do on one’s own and having some support and accountability can make all the difference.
Spiritual. Individuals who have a faith and those that do not, will often find themselves struggling with spiritual matters. This struggle may be caused by one’s own experiences in the world, questioning how they fit into it, or the loss of a loved one. It also may become a barrier as a result of someone they are dating, an interaction with a friend or family member, or pressures they might feel being put upon them.
Financial. The barriers in money and finance are often perceived as obvious. These can include how to invest a small windfall, how to save money for the future, or whether to contribute to a 401K or a Roth IRA? These are important decisions to make, but there can be deeper things at play. There are different personality types, and this is true in the arena of money as well. Have you wondered why one person is a spender and another a saver? Often times, this difference is a reflection of one’s core beliefs. Currently I am writing material on the different money personalities, how they impact our lives, and how to make changes if desired. Our money personality determines how we view and interact with finances, potentially creating a barrier of its own.
“Find your bridge across the bumps and roadblocks of life.”