“Everything is fine”; “I am really happy” and yet you can tell that there is a sadness in the eyes that somehow doesn’t reach the lips. On the surface everything looks as it is told and yet, it is beckons the question of what is really happening. We are so busy telling everyone that everything is fine, we are fine, the world is fine and life is fine to remove the nagging doubt and screaming truth that we are not happy.
 
The typical choice of avoiding at all cost so as to protect ourselves from seeing that this a problem, if not more, and if we acknowledge there is a problem then something needs to be done about it. It would mean entering into the world of uncertainty, no guarantees and the fear that things may actually get better.
 
What happens is that this usually becomes our disillusioned truth to what we believe our lives consist of and cannot put the finger on why we are completely miserable. When we sit to think about the possibilities of what may be causing us this unhappiness, there is a complete blank. No, the current reality has nothing to do with our imagination or the false perception that this is our lives, or rather what we allow ourselves to believe. Surely it must be an outside influence causing this undue stress and negative approach to everything in our lives.
 
That complete sense of denial that so many of us succumb to all too easily is called The Ostrich Effect. In no better terms it is putting your head into the ground to avoid any problems, situations or issues that are unpleasant and can become such a habit that what starts out in avoiding one situation becomes our strategy in life.
 
Yes, this truly is the Ostrich Effect. It is very effective and can go on for years and years. It is the cotton wool world where the truth is as real as the flying pigs in capes. If you believe we exist we can strangely appear when walking along the street. The amazing part is that many that choose the Ostrich Effect often find counter parts to support their methodology following suit thus this strategy becomes ingrained and one day, we wake up and the Ostrich Effect is part of who we are. One day we wake up and realize that the Ostrich Effect is in fact disabling us from moving forward, from gaining happiness and even gaining enjoyment with the simple pleasures confronting the day to day brings. This could include meeting a friend unexpectedly; it could mean finding a favourite item on sale; it could even mean getting the job that we have been dreaming of.
 
How can these things be obtained when you are busy with your head in the ground? It is after all a thought out strategy that took years to perfect.
 
There is mixed thoughts about risk in life. However, if avoiding living is being an Ostrich, is living really taking risks or actions with uncertain possibilities, most of which we have no control over of the outcome?
 
In order to get out of the Ostrich Effect it is not so much a matter of how, but rather why? Why change status quo? Why upset the comfort of the dullness of consistent boredom? Perhaps there is no room to complain once you are out. Perhaps you will be forced to face the ugly, grey reality to never embrace the Ostrich Effect again. Never fear the Ostrich Effect is always there as a security blanket to your fear of the unknown and your fear that the unknown is worse than your current reality.
 
Imagine, however, that once you come out of the Ostrich Effect reality is actually better. Can you imagine what that would feel like? Having the sense of happiness without force, without medication? This surely is a disillusioned reality. No, this is the reality you can have for yourself and it takes less effort, less energy than constantly hiding your head in the ground pretending your life is perfect when in the deep pit of your soul you are so miserable any other person’s misery provides you a bit of self indulged momentary happiness.
 
How can this be when so much effort is put into pretense? What does it take to simply “be”. When you do things because you do things - you eat, you go to the bathroom, you talk, you drink – you are just being. Not much effort is taken. It just happens. Now, put this into yourself. Just be yourself. Sounds familiar?
 
We have all heard at some point in our lives and it has always sounded like an unobtainable myth luring in front like a carrot to tease and mock but never actually accessible.
 
Happily – it is very accessible, even to you right now as you are reading. Guess what, as you are reading you are just “being”. Pretty simple isn’t it?
 
Take a deep breath, feel the oxygen fill your body, get up, jump up and down three times and tell yourself “now I am going to live”. Why – because you deserve the best there is and that is simply being you.
 
How is the Ostrich Effect working for you?

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