Years ago, I realized that I wanted something different.  It was easy to see the fog and the overwhelming number of things and people I wanted to clear out of my life.  The two questions I had:

1)      What now, specifically?

2)      How do I get what I want, without going backwards?

Ironically, I got the answer to my second question from my then, infant son. He couldn’t walk up the stairs, but he learned how to sit and scoot up the stairs, backwards.

Sometimes, when we think we are going backwards, we are actually rising up.  My point, is to not cage yourself with previously held beliefs- Along the path of changing, practice letting go of old ideas…below are my thoughts on making changes.

 Making Changes in life:

1)      Practice seeing how you limit yourself or cage yourself.  Often, this is related to a statement like, “I never want to be like_____” or “I’d never_______” or “I could never___.”  These are examples of limiting ideas about your life.  No matter what you do, you are your own person, making your own choices with the fine details that make it your own path.

2)   Be open to changes.  In the scheme of things, it’s not a big deal if we have to make changes.  Sometimes we say, “I failed” when the truth was “I evolved.” 

3)      Keep your spirit up. How you start your day matters.  Be rested, eat.  Listening to music in the morning helps me.  Eating and drinking plenty of water keeps me energized and in a good mood.  If you are like me, sugary foods can make us feel heavy and don’t help as much.

4)      Get clear on what you want.  It helps to write it down.  Be specific, but open to your desires.

5)      Take a tiny baby step toward something on your list. The first few steps are usually the most challenging, but it can get easier quick.  Kids do this all the time as they grow.  As adults, we benefit from relearning that innate skill.

6)      As you make steps, see opportunities and take them. Don’t apologize for being happy or taking care of your well-being.

7)      Consider the company you keep.  If you have people cheering you on, great!  If you don’t, consider making more space between yourself and the people who may not have your best interest.  I understand this may take some doing/ time. Just stay open…

8)      Realize that sometimes, things happen slower or faster, depending on…well, maybe every detail.  Try not to worry about this.  Time isn’t always an indication of anything.

9)      Trust.  There have been crazy, ironic, “coincidences” in my life.  I mean, there were times when I couldn’t see that anything was happening- and sometimes, I felt alone or down.  Then, out of nowhere, things seem to fall right into place.  Or, I would hear from someone and that person would give me some bit of information that made all the difference.  Sometimes, it was even just hearing from an old friend that helped me to stay up beat.  My point is, choosing to be down really serves no purpose.  We are not delusional for being optimistic or happy.  I have actually seen some people choose to be depressive, because “what was the point to being happy since the future was a blur.  In my life, the future has always been a blur, but the answers always came. I expected them.

10)      If we don’t want the same life as the people around us, go against the grain.  This involves more than a want.  Think different, speak different, act different.  Be led by your inspiration and heart. Truthfully, most people operate outside of their heart’s desires.  They stay locked in their head. This usually leads to more of the same cycles.  One more thing, people often say hurtful things to us, out of pain. Maybe you trigger people, because you refuse to be held down and miserable.  A lot of people are too scared to make their own path, because there are more questions than answers.  We are here for a short time, stay true and make the most of it.

11)   Everyone needs help sometimes.  We don’t live in a world where the rules are fair, but we don’t have to stay in one place waiting for the perfect situation.  Perfection is false.  Accept that we excel as a community (even if we see our community as small or a little…different 😊)

12)   Be intentional.

13)   Be willing to learn and actually practice the information you have only intellectualized.  Application takes practice. In my life, application has been a far better teacher.