Just Because You Always Have, Doesn't Mean You Always Have To...

 

Hi!

So, here we are. Just past the beginning. Stepped to, and ready to dive from the precipice. The first few strides through the threshold have been taken, the first few words of the new chapter written.

Now what?

What will you be diving into? Where will your strides take you? What kind of story will you write?

The beauty of it is you get to choose. You.

So many of the things that tend to hold us back, that stop us short, that keep us from... whatever it is, are self-inflicted. Self-imposed imaginary rules tethering us, keeping us from taking full flight.

We, as humans, are creatures of habit. We tend to do things because we've always done them, or that's how they've always been done. 

We tend to do what's expected.

It's comfortable. Life can be hard, and sometimes doing what's comfortable works for us.

But what if it stops working? What if what's expected, what if the way we've always done things doesn't feel right anymore?

Does that mean we have to start over? Completely flip our worlds upside down? 

Personally, I don't think so. I think small changes can make big differences.

Something as small as a new haircut can be enough. Something as big as moving to a new country might be what's necessary. Most likely it will be something in between.

As this new chapter gets underway, it's time to reread the previous one, and decide what direction this next one might take. Will it be a chapter of action and adventure, will it be quiet and healing, or will it be so funny it makes you pee a little? 

The things that didn't contribute to your happiness last year will need adjustment or elimination. If not the whole thing, the pieces that are draining your joy, for sure. 

Just because you always have, doesn't mean you always have to.

The things that boosted you, made you smile, brought you joy, keep those, for sure, just make them bigger. 

We convince ourselves of things all the time, both good and bad. We convince ourselves that success has a very narrow definition. We convince ourselves that the path to that narrow definition is narrower yet. We convince ourselves that a stamp of approval from family, friends, and even strangers has merit of some kind. We convince ourselves that we don't really deserve peace, joy, and ease. We convince ourselves that life is somehow supposed to be hard and that's just the way it is. 

Let's convince ourselves that being happy and peaceful IS success, that we deserve it, that it doesn't require permission or approval. Let's convince ourselves that the paths we wouldn't dare travel are exactly the paths others are meant to take. 

Let's not only think outside the box. Let's just get rid of the boxes altogether, shall we? 

Boxes are traps. Period. Walk free. Sing free. Write free. Be free. 

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May every step you take into this next chapter have within it, a little skip.

May we all move forward with intention, with purpose, little steps, or an entire flip.

May your actions march you ever closer to the life you truly, deeply crave.

May you find the strength to make the changes you need to to be happy, be brave.

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