During times of personal or professional change, many of us feel lost and unsure. We struggle with issues of self-confidence. We forget that real change is a step outside our comfort zone and in to our challenge zone. And when we try to impose control and order, we often lose trust, clarity, and courage. What we often need is a new vision, a new outlook on the world.
I remember well how I wished for a clear view out our bedroom window when we first moved into our home in Iowa. I loved to look out this bedroom window at sunrise. Living in a small rural town, we have fields of grazing animals and rolling hills behind our home. The view is lovely, and restful for the soul.
But when we bought the house from the people who built it in 1919, our view was blocked by a massive clothesline. After many months of being bothered by the line, I decided to dig up the obstacle and move it.
So one afternoon, with our sons cheering me on, I began to dig. After 20 minutes of strenuous work, I realized that the clothesline pole was a former telephone pole! Twenty more minutes and a couple of feet later, I figured out the pole was stuck in a large block of cement. By now, the children had wandered off, brought me a glass of water, and asked “mommy” to take a picture of the five-foot “crater with the clothesline pole in the middle.” It finally dawned on me that I could just cut off the pole about two feet below the ground and fill in the hole.
The second pole was a breeze after the first. I only dug down deep enough to clear the way for the saw. With a mighty “Timber” from our boys, the pole crashed to the lawn and was removed. Our youngest asked me: “Why didn’t you do that the first time?”
“I had something to learn,” was my reply.
When removing obstacles and creating a new vision, remember:
Getting to the bottom of a problem is not required before something new can be created. When pressure mounts, work diligently, but remember to take care of yourself. Exhausting oneself in a useless struggle does not yield significant results. Make the best use of your energy by focusing your goals. Allow yourself to be a beginner. Cultivate the attitude of courage. Success takes time and effort.
The future does not have to be an extension of the past. A vision is never the return to a former time period. It is the development of new skills, perceptions and understandings. Learn, and be creative. Put the past behind you. It you need to grieve over old wounds and pain, find a safe place and allow the healing to occur. Remember: “This too shall pass.”
Many external obstacles are related to internal perceptions. When feeling stuck, pause and reevaluate your course of action. Change is a great opportunity for introspection and illumination. It is common for an entire paradigm and/or belief system to come into question. Internal clarity is the blending of revelation and reflection. Be persistent and take pride in who you are.
Ask other for help and perspective. Being humble rather than egotistical will yield results.
(First published in the August 1996 issue of Personal Excellence magazine).
No comments:
Post a Comment