Change is scary. Leaving a job, moving, ending a relationship, the death of someone close to you – all of these are major life events.
Even looking in the mirror as you begin to get a little older can be jarring. Suddenly you see things that weren’t there before, like new wrinkles, or dark spots, or perhaps less hair than you remember having.
On a daily basis there are reminders that nothing ever stays the same. It is the roller-coaster existence that we are all on.
When things are going great, eventually they will turn the other way. It is inevitable. And just as certainly, when things aren’t going well something will happen that turns the tide in the other direction.
By staying present to what is happening in this moment there comes the opportunity to either enjoy the good that surrounds you, or to notice what isn’t pleasing and take action to change it. There is power in presence, because this conscious awareness provides a base from where you can make strategic moves.
Know the enemy. For many of us, the enemy is complacency. We continue to do the same things day in and day out, somehow wishing and hoping that the results will be different.
Of course they won’t be, but they can change in a moment if you choose to take action.
Momentum increases when decisions are made. Hoping that someone is going to magically find you and make your dreams come true is a passive way to participate in what should be an action-filled existence.
We are usually pretty good at knowing what we don’t want. We can look around and see evidence everywhere of what we would change if we could. The ability to discern what you want from what you don’t want is an important first step.
Next comes the pivot, the reaching towards what you do want. When you identify something that exists in your life that you no longer want, then with that realization comes the ability to know what you prefer instead.
Once you define what you would like, then taking a step in the direction towards getting it is next. The whole process is as simple as that.
If you don’t like your job, then figure out what aspects of it you don’t like. Sometimes you don’t even need to change jobs if you can adjust certain parts of it. Or you can begin to look for a new job.
Be open to exploring what is out there and be confident that you will find what you are looking for.
Things about yourself that you don’t like are easy to change. If you want to be healthier, then take steps to discover how to do this. Eat better, exercise more, and develop a positive attitude. Only you have the ability to change who you are.
Maybe you don’t like where you live. Start to search for something new, but first become very clear about what you are looking for. Decide what is important to you and then narrow your search to only those places that fit your expectations.
Relationships can be tricky. If you are in one and are not happy, try to reconnect with whatever drew you to the person in the first place. Sometimes a renewing of appreciation and switching your focus from the bad to the good is all it takes. Sometimes it has gone beyond that and an ending is in order.
Only you can decide what is best.
When things are going well, enjoy it. Look for ways to continually improve yourself and appreciate all that you have.
When things aren’t going as well, the steps are similar. Decide what you want instead, then improve yourself and appreciate all that you have and all that you will have as you begin to take steps in a new direction.
Decisions and action will take you wherever you wish to go. Never underestimate the power you have within to design the life that you choose to live.