Taking Action: Does Someone Need To Feel Safe In Order To Take Action?

First there is the desire to do something and then there is what needs to be done for one to experience that which they desire. For this to happen one may just need to need to leave their house and to head out.

Ultimately, what they need to do is going to be defined by what it is that they want to experience. Naturally, if they don’t do anything and just sit around, absolutely nothing is going to take place.

Another Need

Similarly, if one wanted to achieve something, they would also need to take action. When it comes to what they will need to do before they reach their goal, it can all depend on what it is that they want to achieve.

For example, if one wanted to completely transform their body, it is obviously not going to happen overnight. They will need to take consistent action; if they don’t, they won’t achieve their desired outcome.  
The Main Part

It has been said that when it comes to achieving anything, turning up in the main thing. What this emphasises is how important it is to take action and not to stand on the sidelines watching life go by.

This saying also shows that while having ability helps, it is not going to be of use if someone doesn’t do anything with what they have. Whereas someone can be in a position where they are not particularly gifted but they take action, meaning that they will do better even though they are not going to be as capable on paper.

A Big Demand

The self-help industry is full of books and courses that talk about the importance of taking action. This shows that there are a lot of people who need this kind of guidance; if this wasn’t the case, there wouldn’t as much material out there on this area.

What this means is that if someone does find it hard to take action and to ‘go after their dreams’, they don’t need to stay this way. And, once they start taking action and build momentum, there can be no stopping them.   

Black And White

Once they take action, it could then be said that they will be in touch with themselves and they will drive to fulfil their needs. The people around them can end up giving them positive feedback, seeing them as someone who has it all together.

However, what this would overlook is that while taking action can show that one has a good connection with themselves, it can also show that they are running away from themselves. Here, one will take action to change how they feel; their actions will then be a means to an end, stopping them from being able to enjoy the process.

Two Types of Action

On one side, then, there is inspired action, and this will take place when one is in tune with who they are and feel good about themselves. They will take action when it is necessary and this means that they won’t have turned themselves into a machine.

On the other side of this will be someone who is out of tune with who they are and feels bad about themselves. Their whole life is then going be about doing and it won’t be possible for them to just be; they will be more like a machine than a human being.

Two Approaches

So, if someone finds it hard to take action, they will need to develop the habit of taking action. This could take place by reading a book and then applying what they have learnt, or they could just taking small actions and work their way up to bigger things.

If one is constantly doing things, finding it hard to relax and to let go, they will need to look into what they are trying to avoid. Healing the pain that is within them may allow them to settle down.

Stuck

While someone’s life may change after applying what they have learnt in a book or find that taking small steps allows them to take bigger steps, this might not work for them.  Intellectually, they will know how important it is to take action and they could see that not taking action is having a negative effect on their life, but that won’t be enough for them to get the ball moving, so to speak.

Along with this, the thought of taking action could be something that causes them to experience a lot of fear. For some reason, not taking action is going to be what feels safe.

Just do it

One thing that one could then do is to ignore how they feel and to take action; this will stop them from being controlled by fear. If they give into their fear, it will be harder for them to embrace life.

At the same time, this approach could end up causing them to feel overwhelmed. Not taking action is going to have a negative effect on them and taking action is also going to cause them problems.

Inner Conflict

This is going to stop them from being able to listen to their need and feelings. Perhaps they haven’t been this way for very long, or maybe they have been this way for as long as they can remember.

What this can show is that they have had an experience, or a number of experiences that caused their system to be overwhelmed. This would have destroyed their sense of trust in the world, which would have eroded their sense of safety.

Awareness

If this goes back to what happened during the beginning of their life, it could show that they were abused and/or neglected. Their body and mind will be carrying trauma that needs to be resolved.
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If someone can relate to this, and they want to change their life, they may need to reach out for external support. This can be provided by the assistance of a therapist or a healer. 

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Oliver JR Cooper
http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk