Cliches; Don't You Just Love Them.....
Some like, “Only I can change my life. No one can do it for me”, or
“We can’t be afraid of change. You may feel very secure in the pond that you are in, but if you never venture out of it, you will never know that there is such a thing as an ocean, a sea”, or “When in doubt, choose change”.
We hear these comments about change and while in most cases true, sometimes, change is well.... just not that easy.
Being creatures of habit, even at the best of times, we resist change but..........what if change would usher us into a new level of living, help us gain perspective after a season of turmoil, strife, hardship, or trouble or we just maybe need a change that we didn’t realize or recognize.....
And Sometimes, We Need Some Sort Of Change Challenge For Our Growth
Forward Friday says that change can become a legacy moment or moments for us because really, change never stops; it`s how we view it and how we appropriate change that makes the all-important difference in our life.
Let's Get Into This:
My dear friend Zoe and I were messaging the other day and she said during the course of the conversation that, “Every day we wake up is a lesson and learn”.
“Every day we wake up is a lesson and learn”.
So simple yet profound but sometimes, because of the human condition we forget, or recoil in fear or decide that we just can't make the change, whatever it is.
Sometimes, life will move in and create chaos or a shift and leave us no choice but to change and change we must.
No matter how, change does come and the legacy of change for positive or negative is borne in our lives.
How it plays out is up to us….
The Job That Was
I remember when my world came crashing down some years ago and the job I loved was pulled out from under my feet so to speak.
The emotions, feelings, loss, frustration at the time were in my mind`s eye incalculable and how could I go on..
It was tough and it took some time to come to terms with the grief and the relinquishing of what I thought was my dream job.
Who was I? Was my worth tied up in what I did or who I was? Did what was said count more about who and what they said I was or was I going to be okay in my own skin?
It took the better part of a year to kind of get my feet back underneath me and when I look back now, I see that change has been good for me.
I look at the life experiences I`ve had since, the people I would have never had the opportunity to connect with had I stayed where I was, the new journeys and dreams that I`ve had a chance to live out and am still living wouldn`t have happened had it not been for change.
And not for one minute would I trivialize some changes because sometimes, the pain in the change is no joking matter.
But our emotions cannot run into bitterness for any length of time when we`ve been upended. How we handle these types of changes not only say a lot about us but it affects the trajectory of where we are headed.
Healthy Perspective
“I’ll start that diet next week” or “I won’t eat that anymore” or “just a little piece and that’s it”…….
I’m sure there are more lines and stories that we could and would tell ourselves when we need to change our lifestyle when it comes to our health and vitality.
I’ve documented a number of times the journey of being a very active, high octane 270 lbs. but it was a dangerous place to be.
I’ve always battled weight issues but somehow I could hide what I looked like with wearing the right clothes and joke my way through the pain and frustrations of being extremely uncomfortable with me.
Sometimes, the legacy challenge moment when it comes to change in regards to health are those slaps in the face moments.
Mine came in a hotel in Toronto, looking into a mirror and having a hard time buckling the oversize jeans that always fit.
Let’s be honest; most of time, we look like or say we’re ready for change but until we are truly ready, then we’ll try and fool ourselves.
Thank God, that time, I decided it was time and by the grace of God, the hard work of change, I lost 75 lbs. over a period of time.
Interesting; just because change has come in a certain area doesn’t mean that we may not need to revisit and make some more adjustments along the road of change.
I’ve had a few sports injuries and over 2 years of limited mobility, it’s amazing how 20 lbs. can creep back into the picture.
So, learning from past mistakes, we’ve been taking proactive steps to get back to where we were and it is good to know that we can re-learn lessons at various stages to help us grow and flourish.
For others, it could be another significant situation, life event that causes us to stop and take stock of where we are and what direction(s) we could head into.
There are many changes in life that are both painful and sad because the change that takes place is for the worse, not better.
There are changes that change nothing like changing careers only to find out that their new jobs don't make them any happier than the old one.
A couple or one spouse who divorce thinking that this change will solve the problems and then it is realized that the divorce only brings new problems to solve or the issues are more deep seated.
Yet we try not to change for change sake because that rationale isn’t smart but every so often, the challenge of change comes to our doorstep and we must open the door and take the time to consider our next steps.
We must open the door and take the time to consider our next steps.
Some would say that at this point, wisdom is what we need in taking the step towards change and I can think of no better moment than to be looking for some good Medicine.
Some Good Medicine
What gives me confidence to take a step in the season of change is that I’m not doing this on my own.
I believe that I/We have a Heavenly Father who is extremely interested in our lives and we have all been blessed with God given skills, personalities, abilities that even when we are nervous about the challenge of change ahead of us, we can ask for wisdom for direction and trust that the tool box of our life we have will have what we need when change beckons us.
Maybe we are in the change sequence or maybe it is on the way or maybe we’ve been through a change and we just need some encouragement; here’s some tried and truth moments to help us along the way.
Deuteronomy 31:6 So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic
Isaiah 43:19 For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.
James 1:17 Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens
Psalms 32:8 “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.
Change is very difficult. Whether it's changing a habit or attitude or job, change is always a challenge, and change is even more difficult when it's imposed on us suddenly or without our approval.
But… There are moments in life when a change is necessary or due.
So, there is this very reassuring verse that says, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not criticize you for asking”.
No matter where we are, we all have the opportunity to create legacy moments when the challenge of change presents itself and the Good News is that we don’t have to go it alone.
Even when it’s painful, hard, frustrating and seemingly feels like we could be drowning, look up because we have One cares for us and is extremely interested in our growth and legacy!
Walking the legacy of change with you!!
Dave
#ForwardFriday #TheChallengeOfTheChangeLegacy #LegacyMoments #Speaker #Blog #NeverEasy #EveryDayALessonAndLearn #DoNotHaveToWalkAlone
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