What therapy and Tractor Pulls have in common

I've only been to a couple of tractor pulls in my life, but I learned a life lesson that has stayed with me for the next couple of decades. See, it's all in the Sled: If you watch the sled in a tractor pull, they all start with the weight at the back. But as it pulls across the dirt or mud, the weight shifts to the front, closer to the wheels of the tractor, and in the end, almost all of them bog down. Here's a link: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3eRru7LfMw

If you watch a couple of them (careful, it's addictive), you'll see the weight, which is painted bright yellow in front, moving up on the sled as the tractors move down the track. Many of the tractors go so far and then start spinning their wheels, have to stop or even blow an engine. 

I use this analogy when clients wonder why they're having a problem Now, when they haven't had a problem before or thought they were "over all that stuff." We're so strong and capable of putting things away that we just take off in our lives while that weight creeps up to the back of our tires.  Some of us can carry it farther than others, but most of us bog down at some point. 

This can take the form of getting very angry, becoming depressed, drinking too much, health problems such as heart attacks, ulcers, etc. There are a lot of ways that things can go wrong when we carry that weight for years. In a way, the stronger we are the more it works against us. The good news is that the weight can be lessened or lifted entirely and you can continue on your way without that weight holding you back.