Skip to content

Posts tagged ‘Change’

Jun 25

Transitions

“Not in his goals but in his transitions man is great. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“We resist transition not because we can’t accept the change, but because we can’t accept letting go of that piece of ourselves that we have to give up when and because the situation has changed.”― William Bridges, The Way of Transition: Embracing Life’s Most Difficult Moments

In many cultures, the black butterfly is a symbol of transition, renewal and rebirth. A dying to the old, creating space for the new to enter. When we cling to the familiar, limiting narratives and beliefs, we waste our energy, get stuck in the past and miss the gift of new beginnings.

We are built to grow, evolve, expand, change and redirect when the road becomes a dead end. Stop circling the culdesac. Move forward into unknowing, to new beginnings, fresh starts.

The Bridges Transition Model describes the three stages of transition – endings, neutral zone and new beginnings. Allow the neutral zone to do its work and don’t get stuck there. Allow new beginnings to take center stage and welcome you home to yourself.

“transition always starts with an ending. To become something else, you have to stop being what you are now; to start doing things a new way, you have to end the way you are doing them now; and to develop a new attitude or outlook, you have to let go of the old”― William Bridges, Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes

Jan 19

Full Bloom

“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”- Wayne Dyer

“Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next.” – Gilda Radner

Ease into the unknown, embrace uncertainty, hold what’s necessary and release what weighs you down, what blocks your path. Lessons often unfold in hindsight with time and distance, with no recourse to change course. Awareness beckons, invites and welcomes learning in real time, in the very moment, deepening moments and amplifying time.

Awareness first. Lessons in the moment. Change certain, growth optional. Choose growth, expansion, gratitude and joy. Fight the good fight.

“When we are no longer able to change a situation – we are challenged to change ourselves.” – Viktor E. Frankl

Dec 14

Let It Be, Go and Come

We’ve all said it, “let it go.” And then proceed to hold on tight as ever. We can’t “let go” of our circumstances, difficult people, a pandemic. In Abby’s case, she can’t let go of her tennis ball after I throw it which is why I carry three balls. When she sees me ready to throw the next one, she’ll let go of the one so she can pursue the other. So many of the things that we cling to, try to control that we can’t, end up controlling us.

When we shift our focus on what we can control – our perspective, imagination, attitude and outlook – letting go is possible.

There are a few more steps in the process of letting go. Letting it be and letting it come. Letting it be allows us to stop, quiet the noise so we can get a full perspective to determine if “it” is in our control or not. If yes, then it’s time to proactively respond and develop a plan on what to do that will make a difference. If no, then it’s time to lay it down and let it go for good. No returning, no more controlling our time and attention. For the letting go to stick, we need to fill the open space with what will come. Anticipation, preparation and planning for what’s next shifts our attention to what can come if we allow it to.

We choose familiarity over change. Our fear of change keeps us stuck in old thinking and in situations we should have left a long time ago. We make change hard by assuming that it’s not going to be good. Change is not only inevitable, it’s required for growth and fruition. When change stops, so do we.

If we “let it be” long enough to gain clarity and work on what we can, we can move onto “letting it go” followed by moving on. Let it be, go and come. There’s always going to be a new ball to chase when we are ready to lay the old one down.

Jul 9

2 Comments

Dry Spell

“Develop interest in life as you see it; in people, things, literature, music – the world is so rich, simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls and interesting people. Forget yourself.” – Henry Miller

We all go through dry spells, transition times meant for quiet reflection. If we slow down to check our internal compass, we can change course and live in the right direction. And in the desert moments, we are transforming into our true self. Growth never stops. The lessons are optional.

Feb 8

1 Comment

Thick Days

Some days are thicker than others – I’ve had a turkey this week – three in a row. Great if I was bowling. It really doesn’t matter “why” or “what” but more important is the “how” we go through these days. With grace or complaint. All of us have them – remember that. No one, no one, no one does not go through “thick days.” We all do. And having that awareness and looking for the cues can allow us to help others through them.

Read more

Newer Entries »