Spring—A Time for New Beginnings
By Linda Hill, CH
Spring is finally here! The warmth of the sun, the blue skies and white clouds, the blooming flowers and full trees remind us of new life and new beginnings. Now is the perfect time to take on new projects, embrace new experiences and meet new challenges.
Are you ready to make some exciting changes in your life?
We all fantasize about changing things up in our life, such as; getting more physical activity, learning a new skill, changing our eating habits, returning to a favorite hobby, meeting someone special, looking for a new job or a multitude of things that pass through our mind. The idea of something new excites us, but something stops us from taking that first step.
Who is really stopping you?
The opposition comes from two directions: outside (the naysayers) and inside (our own fear and doubt). The naysayers mean well, more often than not they’re merely imposing their own fears with regard to this (new) idea, onto you. Perhaps this change or new activity you wish to embark on triggers uncomfortable feelings for them. Many people don’t like change, it makes them uncomfortable, and it’s easier to try and dissuade your desires then have to get on board themselves.
However, our own fears are more difficult to ignore. We may be afraid of failing, of being hurt or losing what we currently have. While these might be legitimate concerns, keep in mind; courage is not the absence of fear, but moving forward despite the fear. Letting fear rule our decisions keeps us from living the life we truly desire.
What steps are necessary to prepare for this new adventure?
Often we need to get ourselves ready for this change and “make room” for this new idea. Imagine an overstuffed closet long overdue for a good Spring Cleaning. When we finally delve into that long ignored space and move items into a pile out in the open, we invariably make an even larger mess. That’s why we put off doing this work; it feels worse than when we had it all hidden behind a closed door. It seems easier to walk away and focus on something, anything, more enjoyable than this big mess. In the meantime, the pile remains exactly where we left it. We ignore the pile, walk around the pile, trip over the pile, curse the pile, or wish that someone else would come in to magically clean up this mess for us. But, because it’s our stuff (fear/resistance) we’re the only one who can decide what to do with it all. Once we finally go through our stuff and decide what to give up and what to keep, we’ve cleared out our (internal) closet. We feel better; we might even feel physically lighter.
Once we’ve removed our perceived obstacles that have kept us from taking action, we have all the emotional and mental space to create something new for our life. And, we have the physical energy to take on that new and exciting adventure.
Nice idea, but still a bit unsure or overwhelmed by the idea of taking on a new challenge or adventure?
The following written activity can be very helpful:
Create a list of the things that you feel passionate about; (Environment, Sports, Causes, Music, etc.)
Ask yourself (and write down): What is keeping me from doing this/these activities? (Not enough time, Not enough money, Won’t be any good, Too hard to start now, etc.)
Then ask yourself (and write down): Is this true? If yes, then give yourself the tools/time or whatever is needed to remove those obstacles. If no, then…GO FOR IT!!!
If you're still not sure, fell free to contact me and we can discuss how I can be of help with this or any current challenge that you have.
Linda Hill, CH
858-539-39898
linda@perceptionevolution.com