Change!

Change!

Change!

This seems to be the universal directive for so many of us as we head into 2013.  It certainly has been an accelerated period of growth in my own life – a time of transformation when I’m being invited to release outdated structures, patterns, and people so I can take the next leap required to keep my soul heading in the right direction.

I’ve always been a woman committed to personal growth and I think that’s made change a familiar and more comfortable passenger on my journey.  Not that it’s easy.  Sometimes I move forward, kicking and flailing my way toward enlightenment  .

There are a few things I’ve learned about making change easier though, and I thought I’d share them in case you, too, feel the acceleration in your own life.

Welcome change into your life.  For so many of us, it’s easy to mistake the pain of resistance to change with change itself.  While letting go of the old and doing something new can be scary and difficult, it’s often our resistance to what is that causes the most suffering.

To that end, keep affirming:

I welcome change into my life.

I am willing to allow change to be easy and comfortable.

I am gentle with myself during this time of transition.

I release my resistance and allow Life to support me.

Slow down and be gentle with yourself.  Move slowly, eat slowly, speak slowly, and think slowly.  Allow change to seep into your bones in a loving and patient way.  Sometimes change feels painful because we attempt to push our way through.  But trying to push the birth process is a violent act.  We change so much better with love.

Keep your eye on desire.  One thing I do that makes change so much easier (and even exciting) is to choose thoughts and actions that make me feel good.  Louise Hay has two terrific questions you can ask yourself:

What thought could I think to make me feel good right now?

What could I do to make myself feel good right now?

I use these questions on a regular basis and they connect me with my most desirable experiences.  Remember, your mind is like a powerful computer at the ready – waiting to fulfill your request.  When you ask it a question, it WILL find an answer.  Why not ask questions that fuel your desire to feel good?

If you’re going through a tough time, I promise you it will pass.  You have what it takes to move through the discomfort with joy and ease.  We all do.  Don’t go through changes alone, though.  When we remember to take the hand of someone we trust, change becomes a journey of deeper connection – not only with ourselves but also with each other.

And in the end, that’s all that really matters…

© Copyright 1999-2013. Cheryl Richardson, P.O. Box 13, Newburyport, MA 01950. All rights reserved.