The problems the solution. Well this may not be a statement of fact and just one to think about.

All to often we approach the issues in our lives, whether its our weight, alcohol or drug use, smoking, depression, anxiety, an eating disorder, low self esteem etc as ‘the problem’ that we need to fix, which we then attempt to go looking for solutions, often to not much avail. And despite the failures we still continue to look in the same places for answers.

But what if we are looking in the wrong place. What if we are attempting to stop, or fix the wrong thing?

What if  the enemy is really an Allie?

What if, what we are currently calling our problem, is actually just the solution to the real underlying problem.

Now, I appreciate this isn’t a new concept of course.

But despite this, we rarely, if ever, interpret our problem as a solution. Its always the problem.

However, if we take a moment to look at it as the solution, we often find we ask ourselves different questions.

And because of this we may find we feel differently.

We get an opportunity to look in a different place and at perhaps what we are really missing.

It can often feel like we are hitting a brick wall when we try to solve what seems like a problem.

We seem to just keep looking for solutions that keep pointing in the same direction but seem to never have any resolution. We just seem to stay stuck.

But as soon as we think of problems as solutions, all of a sudden we get a space.

A new opening to explore, to ask different questions and to enquire what are our real needs are.

Inside of this new mental perspective we have an opportunity to see what we need, rather than what believe we have to stop doing to feel better – despite it feeling against our will to do so.

We may get to observe and understand why we chose a particular solution that previously, we thought we needed to stop, or give up and whether there is now a better, more up to date –  and perhaps, less detrimental way to get those needs met.

Obviously its not a fool proof solution or necessarily going to create a eureka moment.

And even if it does, he hardest thing is then to convince ourselves to choose ‘the other solution’, that actually may not work in reality.

The chances are it will also be harder to implement. It will take work and won’t necessarily make life better at the start  – or even ever.

Change doesn’t always mean better.

Often its just different.

And with it comes a new set of problems which we need to deal with.

And with those new problems we weigh up and struggle with whether to go back – or actually go back –  to our old patterns, which despite their side effects, we know successfully numbs the immediate discomfort and, in those moments, gives us peace.

And it’s whether the familiarity of our current problem and the temporary relief that it gives is too seductive to be able to continue on or get back to the new course of action.

But changing beliefs is not about being right or wrong, but rather trying to restructure patterns.

Beliefs and habits are based around these patterns.

In order to change them – to restructure them –  we need new ways to understand their details.

New perspectives change beliefs. They shed light on the blueprints of our problems and why our current solutions which we call problems exist to actually help us rather than to hinder us.

By finding ways to do this, means we stand a much better chance of getting what we really need, rather than feeling like we are giving something up.