By Dr. Paula Bloom
Take a moment. Take a breath. Take a break. I want you to think of the first thing that comes to mind when I ask you this question. I’ll make it easy by making it a multiple choice.
What type of shoe best describes how you’re feeling about your life right now?
A. Flat
B. Loafer
C. Flip Flop
D. Sneaker
E. Slipper
F. Pump
Not sure? Here are some descriptions that might help you answer the question. (And, oh yeah, like on some tests, feel free to answer “all of the above“, “none of the above” “both A and C” etc. You can check off as any many choices as fit.)
Here we go!
Flat:You feel kind of ok. When people ask how you are doing you might answer “Same as usual. Nothing exciting going on. I’m fine.” You aren’t necessarily unhappy but you might feel a bit bored.
Loafer: You feel like you can’t really (or don’t want to) move. You don’t have a lot of energy and can’t explain it as related to some kind of medical or mental health condition. You might be spending more time than usual on the couch watching TV.
Flip Flop: You’re struggling to make decisions. You sit at a restaurant and have to send the server away several times because you just can’t decide between the chicken salad, steak, hamburger or pasta dish. You stand in your closet, staring at your clothing. You might try on seven different outfits before leaving the house in the first one you tried on.
Sneaker: You feel like you have to hide to get the things you want. You might eat a cookie in the pantry so no one in the family sees. You might say you are working but really be out shopping or playing FarmVille on Facebook.
Slipper: You’re having a hard time getting your footing. You might feel like the rug was pulled out from under you. You aren’t feeling too balanced.
Pump: You feel excited about life. You have energy, feel a sense of purpose. You feel “pumped up.”
At some point in our lives, we experience all of these ”shoes.” The question is how quickly are we able/willing to change the shoes we are wearing when they just don’t seem to fit us anymore. The hardest part, sometimes, is even knowing which shoes we have on.
So , take a moment. Take a breath. Take a break. Does the shoe you are wearing really fit? If not, which one would.
Can you think of any other shoe types that can describe how people feel? I’d love to hear from you!
