I want to have a real conversation around change. I don’t believe that change is difficult. Making decisions aren’t hard and taking new actions are far from impossible.
They are, in fact, pretty straightforward.⠀
But so many of us struggle with the idea of change.
Why is that?
The Emotion Of Change
It’s the emotional connection we have to our decisions. We worry about the effects that decision will have on the people around us or what it will mean for us in the future. We’re emotionally connected to our reality and taking steps to change that creates feelings of uncertainty. And if there’s one thing we’ve learned from the past 16 months, as humans we struggle enormously with uncertainty. It feels heavy. Like a weight we can’t quite rid ourselves of.
And of course, there’s the hardest part of it all: the acknowledgment to ourselves that we want to make a change, need to make a change or are faced with a change and need to make a decision. The realization that where we are in our lives isn’t where we want to be can be shocking. The stories you’ll have around it can paralyze you. You’ll run every scenario around in your head. You’ll have emotional baggage around the situation that can stop you from speaking your truth. This is what creates the angst of change.
It’s not in the action of change that drains us.
It’s the inaction.
It’s the decisions you aren’t making that keep you up at night.
It’s the conversations you aren’t having that stress you out.
It’s the failure to listen to what you know that keeps the heaviness within you.
It’s when we get caught up in the story of our emotions around the decision that we experience the lockdown. In reality, it’s the emotions around ‘contemplating’ a decision that carries the most weight.
Once you make the decision there almost immediately comes a feeling of relief – unburdening, really – that results from you simply moving from a place of inaction to action.
And if you can’t seem to find your way through it, create some space for you to lean into your inner guidance
Journal. Meditate. Walk in nature. Swim. Cruise around your yoga mat. Breathe.
If need be, ask a trusted source for mentorship or seek guidance with a counsellor or a coach. It is incredible the clarity that can come from working with the right person, at the right time, with the right intention.
Above all…
Be Kind To Yourself
This is something we often forget when we’re contemplating change. Being human means that you will get triggered by your own story and pulled into the energy of what was and what might be.
Forgive yourself.
It’s okay if you stumble, stutter or sweat over the decision. It’s human to do so.
Focus on you.
Focus on all the ways you can support you as you take the steps you need to. Focus on your heart, your mental wellbeing and your needs. Protect your energy. Heal what needs to be healed and put attention to what needs attention. Listen inwards. Respond wisely and respect your intuition.
Commit to living a life of your highest calling and take the action to come home to yourself.