The feeling that life is standing still has occurred at least once in the life of every person. Often in my work I come across client feelings that sound like “I feel like I’m not moving in the direction of my values, what really matters to me.” Some believe that they simply cannot live in harmony with themselves “... until they solve the problem,” but when they deal with their anxiety, fear and guilt (get rid of something unwanted), then life will certainly improve. Similar questions - this is a great opportunity to “show” a person how things really are using a special cognitive tool - metaphor. In history or analogy, one can subtly and gently connect a person’s already existing knowledge with those areas in which he does not have ready-made solutions. Most of human language is metaphorical, although initially language arose as a physiological system, devoid of abstract concepts, but over time, thanks to the emergence simple two-way relationships between objects and their names, as well as the formation of the roles of speaker and listener, our ability to communicate has increased significantly. According to scientists, metaphor served as a kind of catalyst for the process of formation of new cognitive connections. With its help, we could apply an existing neural network (the speech apparatus) to a new area of ​​knowledge (a new concept). If the neural network already contained associations and functions that were not present in the new concept, and the connection to that concept seemed obvious, then the entire neural network could easily be transferred to the new domain in the time it took to tell a story or draw an analogy. I sincerely I admire this simple and effective tool, using which in sessions you can explore a problem, help a person open up and learn something truly new, using knowledge that is already familiar to him. To do this, the psychologist just needs to be a good enough storyteller... Waiting for the Wrong Train (from the Practical Guide “Metaphors in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy”, J. Stoddard, N. Afari) Imagine that you are going on a trip. A destination is a special place that you really want to visit, a place where you have wanted to go for as long as you can remember. You arrive at the station and see two trains. Both have your destination written on them. One of the trains looks somewhat strange and ridiculous. The seats are hard and uncomfortable, and the train itself is dirty. A train on a different platform is completely different. It looks familiar, safe and reliable. It is written that it has air conditioning, a cinema and a dining car serving French cuisine. You think: “Wow! I will only take this train. I can’t even imagine going on that other train - under no circumstances!” And now you are getting ready to board this wonderful train, and meanwhile another, strange train is leaving. You continue to wait for a safe, comfortable train, and meanwhile another strange train departs, followed by another and another. All this time you are waiting to board a beautiful, reliable train to begin your journey. But think about this: what if the safe train never moves? What if you're waiting for the wrong train? Many clients joke about my love of vehicle metaphors, and it's true! In my opinion, they are very “voluminous”, understandable and capable of attracting our wandering attention to the process of moving forward despite difficulties and discomfort. This is a good alternative to waiting or being “stuck,” albeit in that very “comfort zone.” If today’s metaphor is close to you, try answering these questions for reflection:➢ Does waiting for a familiar and predictable train help in terms of real progress towards your goals?➢ If you will never be uncomfortable, where will you end up?➢ You know what you want to achieve in life. What are you willing to go through to achieve this??