IT'S ALWAYS IN THE LAST PLACE YOU LOOK…

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This week, I want to talk to you about how, as the adage goes, something is always in the last place that you look for it. It seems a bit obvious, doesn’t it? But  I want to look at this phrase a bit closer here and also from another perspective, as usual!

You've probably heard yourself saying it countless times, perhaps mumbling it while on a search for your keys, wallet, or even glasses perched atop your head. At first, this saying always seems a bit silly. Of course, we stop looking for something once we've found it, so it must always literally be in the 'last place' that we look for it! 

Yet, I think that there is also another deeper meaning to this statement; that we often overlook the obvious and make things more complex for ourselves than they need to be sometimes, or waste time often looking far and wide for answers that are actually already right under our noses.

The truths we seek in life are always much closer to us than we think and simple solutions are often the right ones within reach. For example, how many times have you undertaken extensive searches, whether physically or mentally, only to find what you were looking for there all along? 

Here are some further examples: 

- Imagine you're on a personal search for happiness or fulfilment, trying new hobbies, traveling, or seeking external validation. But you eventually realise that contentment was always within you, so your "search" ends when you look inwards and not outwards, the last "place" you considered.
- Imagine you’re trying to solve a tricky puzzle, but nothing works for you and you are becoming increasingly frustrated. But when you slow down and show patience and persistence, your efforts lead to the solution, which then seems so obvious to you.
- Imagine you’re searching for a creative solution to a particular problem but, after trying lots of options, the answer then turns out to be the first or simple answer you initially rejected.

But don’t assume the last place you look is where you'll find something, as this might not always be true. It also doesn't account for situations where the sought-after item isn't found at all. Whilst it encourages trust in instincts and simplicity, it may also lead to complacency.

So, this week, remember when you lose something, pause, reflect and look first for the obvious solution. Maybe you'll find that the last place you look is not just about the end of a search, but an opportunity to remind yourself to trust in simplicity of answers and wisdom within!