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THIS MONTH'S ARTICLEThe Ostrich Effect
By Hally v.P.Brandle
“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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