Finding my Inner ‘Platform Nine and Three Quarters’
Wednesday, June 22, 2022
By Life Coach Priya B
Picture this…
You’re navigating complex train routes in a foreign land for the very first time in your life… Like Harry Potter finding his way to Hogwarts, desperately hunting for ‘Platform Nine and Three Quarters’ at the railway station…You’re nervous – totally normal. You’re told to “trust the app” – sound advice for most modern travelers most of the time. (The app was helpful right up to this point.)
You’re navigating complex train routes in a foreign land for the very first time in your life… Like Harry Potter finding his way to Hogwarts, desperately hunting for ‘Platform Nine and Three Quarters’ at the railway station…You’re nervous – totally normal. You’re told to “trust the app” – sound advice for most modern travelers most of the time. (The app was helpful right up to this point.)
You drag your baggage to this lonely-looking sign by a deserted platform - way too far from other commuters to make any sense – or so your inner ‘You’ warns you.
And you wait… and wait… and wait…
Your phone’s almost dead. The Sun is about to set. The station is almost empty. And it dawns on you… “Should I have trusted the app…?”
“Or should I have trusted I... Me... Myself...?”
I was seeking my own ‘Platform Nine and Three Quarters’ – which was invisible to others. Because it was within Me all along. And I just had to look within. And I am so glad that I finally did!
And you wait… and wait… and wait…
Your phone’s almost dead. The Sun is about to set. The station is almost empty. And it dawns on you… “Should I have trusted the app…?”
“Or should I have trusted I... Me... Myself...?”
I was seeking my own ‘Platform Nine and Three Quarters’ – which was invisible to others. Because it was within Me all along. And I just had to look within. And I am so glad that I finally did!
Learning from Setbacks (And why that’s totally okay!)
What did I get right when I realized that I was in the wrong place at the wrong time? I forgave myself. I found humor in the situation. I trusted my instincts when I encountered a good Samaritan – a slightly stern but kindly elderly gentleman who glared at my app and reminded me to… guess what? Trust my own instincts and move along!
I went back into Intentional Mode and solved my own problem – making enquiries, buying fresh tickets and firmly returning to my core-intention. I moved forward towards my larger, chunked-up goal! Namely - finding my friends and trekking through mountains with them! As I had originally intended!
Finding your Resources within when Needed
Intentional Living places your inner gifts within easy reach!
In the famous Bestseller by author J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone, my favorite part is towards the beginning. It is when our protagonist Harry (after spending a wonderful day with his giant-friend Hagrid, reconnecting with his Wizarding identity with magical shopping sprees and a lavish new-found gold inheritance) finds himself with a ticket to a school train at ‘Platform Nine and Three Quarters. He thus stands - lost, nervous and alone - between Platforms Nine and Ten at London’s King’s Cross Station. He reaches inwards to his powers of observation and quick-thinking…
And consciously starts to make simple decisions. The first person he approaches rebukes him and he backs away… but doesn’t stop what he is doing. Before long, he gets help from a fellow young Hogwarts student, finds himself rushing at top speed with his trolley at a solid brick pillar, trusting his inner voice that all will be okay…And breaks through into a parallel reality where he truly belongs and evolves into the hero that he was meant to be all along!
These simple but brave decisions are what get him to gradually discover and connect with the rest of his innate capabilities – setting him on the path to become the sole challenger to a deadly and powerful Dark Wizard 7 books later!
Have you found your inner ‘Platform Nine and Three Quarters’? What changed for you when you did?
Tip of the Day #2:
When you find yourself making a mistake, remind yourself of this simple fact – you meant well all along, because you are fundamentally a person with positive intentions. By seeing the situation through this lens, your ‘mistake’ will morph into a moment of valuable learning! Tell yourself this simple line and repeat if needed.:
I just got a little richer - because that was just a little more data in my bank!
And remember –
Consistency - and Intention - are Key!
