Friday, January 19, 2018

Leap of Faith

Get Unstuck

The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.”
J. P. Morgan

There is an old Zen Proverb that says, “Move and the way will open.” Leaps of faith are almost never easy—in fact, a great deal of pain and suffering goes into making them and then adjusting to the outcome. However, there is no pain greater than spending your precious lifetime stuck in a situation that is untenable. To paraphrase Stephen Covey, we are not the product of our circumstances, but we are the product of the decisions we make in response to them.

Sometimes we just get stuck—for whatever reason, we tread water and even backstroke. We lose confidence and feel overwhelmed. Sometimes that's because we look at the task at hand in its wholeness, and think, “This is just such a huge undertaking, how will I ever accomplish it?” Then we go back to bed and pull the cover over our head. We're stuck. But, if we break that task down into small steps, it becomes less intimidating. Then I don't have to expect myself to accomplish a herculean feat in one day, but over a set period of time, it will be done.

Making big life decisions—like relocating, applying for a new job, buying a house, getting married or divorced, having a child—can put the fear of God in us, and are certainly not to be made lightly or on a whim. Make them judiciously. It is helpful to inform yourself; do the research, discuss the pros and cons with people you trust. Such steps give us security about any decision we might make. But sooner or later, we still have to make the leap. In my experience, once a decision is made with certainty, and clearly articulated, once there is no equivocation or doubt, the way opens. It is as though the universe has simply been waiting for clarity.

We don't have to stay stuck. We can make one small move and then another. And before we know it, change has happened. Be clear, trust the universe, and then, leap.

                                                          In the Spirit,

                                                              Jane

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