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What became clear was
enormous resistance most of us have to change and how much suffering it causes in our lives.
Is your first impulse to avoid change or to resist endings and hold on to something longer than is healthy or useful?
Here is a practice that helps me make friends with endings and change:
1. Start by looking into your past. Can you honestly say that any change you’ve made didn’t leave you in a better place than you imagined? By realizing this you will build positive evidence that change is most often a good thing.
2. Next, take an inventory of what you are afraid to let go of. What do you think you might lose by ending or changing your situation? You might be right, AND, by bringing what you fear into
light you can more realistically evaluate if it is a true consideration or simply a fear.
3. Now, look at what you are making
change mean. For example, “I’m a failure at relationships”, I’ll never be satisfied with any job, I’ll regret…” Ask yourself and see if these self-defeating statements are really true.
4. Finally, make a list of all
possible benefits to be gained by making
change. Also consider how this change could benefit those in your world. If you were happier or less stressed, what would
ripple effect be?
By using this practice I let go of my business affiliation. I took a deep breath and moved on. Within about two weeks I had a new opportunity full of promise and excitement drop into my lap.
I’m learning to appreciate change and endings much in
way I find
colors of fall leaves beautiful. The dying of leaves produces
breathtaking color. Without it there would be no chance of birth and new beginnings in
spring.
Fall. Bring it on. I wouldn’t miss it for
world.
It’s YOUR life…imagine
possibilities!
