When we are feeling stuck, or let down in our lives we may feel sad, powerless or angry. We may, without even realizing it, engage in certain behaviors in an attempt to deny or mask those feelings. Suddenly we may find ourselves believing nothing ever changes in our lives or that the world has left us behind. The truth is that our world is ever-changing, and change is happening now. Everyday our lives are draped in a colorful tapestry of streaming changes, many we don’t even notice. Try imagining you are looking at your world through the eyes of a child. The “eyes of a child” is a fresh perspective, looking at the world as if you are seeing and experiencing what’s around you for the very first time. Take a moment and re-explore your world from this perspective. What do you see? Is it different from how you have been viewing your world recently? Use all your senses as you re-explore your world, and just be where you are, let the idea of time float away and breathe in your aliveness. After you have settled in awhile, take a moment to ask yourself following questions:
- Are there any areas of your life out of alignment with your values or core beliefs?
- Is there anything you are longing for that you have been unconsciously ignoring?
- What would have to happen for you to know that you have strayed from your life’s path?
- What would have to happen for you to know that you have a problem that is keeping you from experiencing happiness or joy in your life?
- Are there any changes you would like to make in your life?
It is important to know that people change in stages and that creating change in your life is a process. The following are the five stages of change:
- Precontemplation – You are not really thinking about change, you are usually unaware, unwilling or uninterested in creating changing
- Contemplation – You are beginning to consider making a change, you may be examining the pros and cons of making a particular change, perhaps weighing how much energy you would have to expend to take action.
- Preparing – You may be still feeling some ambivalence about changing, perhaps you may be considering giving up a behavior you enjoy so despite the perceived gain there is also a sense of loss. At this point you may want to experiment with small changes that move you towards the change you are considering.
- Action – At this point you take genuine and determined action to make the change a reality.
- Maintenance – At this stage you are focused on maintaining your new behaviors over time, creating new patterns that will sustain the change you have made. It is helpful to develop healthy alternative behaviors to replace the old changed behavior.
Change knocks on the door of growth
Change is not always easy. In reality change can often be hard. Reaching out to others to support you in creating change in your life can help make it easier to achieve and maintain. And when you do make a change in your life don’t be surprised to find a ripple effect into other areas of your life or world.
It is through your capacity to create change in yourself that you create change in your world
Alison