Have you ever heard of the phrase, ‘can’t see the forest for the trees?’ This is a great analogy to use in order to help us better understand our feelings and the narratives of our lives. Sometimes the bigger picture of our lives is difficult to see because of how up close and overwhelming our emotions, thoughts, and feelings are. Our emotional trees are too tall, and it can be easy to feel lost and overwhelmed in the forest that is our lives. So much so, that sometimes it feels like the best option would be to cut down all the trees and breathe easy in the now wide-open space; to ignore our emotions or to rid ourselves of them and our problems completely. However, what makes a forest so beautiful, diverse, and interesting, is well, the trees.
We don’t want to cut down the trees because they are necessary for us, just like our emotions and the narratives we create, we need them as markers of where we are and where we have been; we need them to survive and make sense of the beautiful and unique forest. So, what do we do when we feel as though all of the trees are looming over us, when our emotions and narratives are keeping us stuck, and it’s difficult to see the forest and even more difficult to see a way out? One way is postulated by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, better known as ACT.
ACT suggests that instead of trying to cut down the trees, or disconnect, or rid ourselves of our emotions, we can learn to accept that they are there through mindful awareness. We can acknowledge the beauty of the tree we’re in front of, staying present in the moment with whatever emotion we are experiencing, and we can be curious about the tree while not letting it block our path forward.
We can acknowledge that the forest is vast, that our lives will present us with challenges and triumphs, and the trees, how we feel about a particular moment, are ever changing. The leaves will change colour and they will come and go; roots will grow and change, just as our feelings and thoughts will come and go as well.
Taking a step back away from the trees in front of us, just as we can take a step back from our feelings and thoughts through mindful awareness, can give us the space to see determine what is important to us, and commit to a path forward. This way, we can see more of the forest and all its beauty; we can see areas ahead where we may stumble but also areas that we may want to spend time in, and we can see an easier, clearer path forward.
About the Author
