Do You Smell Smoke?

You probably know what it’s like when the smoke alarm goes off. The sound is so annoying, irritating, and ear-piercingly unbearable. Alarms are this way for a very good reason. Every thinking person understands that it is to motivate you to either wake up or stop what you’re doing and check to see why the alarm is going off. There could be a fire.

False Alarm!

Sometimes when the smoke alarm goes off, there’s no fire. There’s not even any smoke! Then you have to figure out why it went off. Maybe it needs new batteries. Maybe you need a new smoke alarm.

The Human Smoke Alarm

I’ll bet there’s a human smoke alarm going off somewhere in your life. There’s someone who is giving you the “stink eye” or keeps sighing heavily and then walks away, muttering. Someone who keeps trying to get your attention. It could be your boss, your secretary, your significant other, or your child, your co-worker, your friend.

They just keep “going off.”

Why Is Your Alarm Going Off?

They are annoying. They are irritating. They may even be absolutely unbearable. Every thinking person understands that your human smoke alarm keeps going off for a very good reason. Maybe your human smoke alarm needs her batteries replaced or recharged? Time, compassion, love, some attention?

Or maybe your human smoke alarm is broken. Something isn’t working and it’s not going to be able to warn you appropriately until the problem is fixed. What is the problem? You’re going to have to figure out what it is and who is the best person to fix it.

Maybe There IS A Fire!

What if your human smoke alarm is going off because he’s trying to warn you that there’s not just smoke, there’s fire? You’re in danger. Your job may be in danger. Your relationship might be in danger. Your child may be in danger.

It’s Alarming…

What’s it going to take for you to wake up? What’s it going to take for you to pay attention? To see what’s really going on? To see what’s burning? So you can save yourself, your loved ones, all the things you find valuable in your life?

The Warning Signs

Is anybody constantly nagging you? Has anyone asked you for something and won’t let it go? They keep repeating the same things over and over and over again. Have you ignored the warning signs that there is something wrong, that there is trouble?

Sifting Through the Ashes

By the time the heat becomes unbearable, it will be too late. Then you’ll get to sift through the ashes and work on starting over. Wondering how you could have missed the sound of the alarm…

Dr. Anita Sanz, PhD, Psychologist