Good Monday Morning!
August has arrived, bringing its intense summer heat! Those of us who whither when the temperature hits 80 degrees are (somewhat) bravely powering through, while others live their best seasonal lives. My complete understanding and sympathy are with you for the people who are inside directly in front of the air conditioning. For the heat-lovers, I’m in awe of your ability to maintain high energy levels and hope you enjoy all the activities you can, despite the restrictions. I’m researching ways to transition into an altered state by convincing myself I’m in Alaska! However, you’re managing; I hope you enjoy yourselves and the summer months!
Speaking of transition, I’ve been wondering about the best ways to manage, since we seem to be in a constant state of adjustment. I believe the process can be affirming when we actively embrace the possibilities. In our humanness, this is often a challenging task because we’re not always ready or willing.
I discovered some interesting perspectives to share with you today. Let’s begin with this gem from Nancy Levin, contemporary author and life coach:
Simple yet profound. The space between is where we’re able to make a choice about how we’ll manage the journey. We can choose to move forward with integrity and positivity, or we can opt to partner with distress and allow the negativity to lead us. We’re certainly entitled to select the direction that most suits us. The essential element to remember is that we must own our choices.
Here’s a quote from Socrates to which I very much resonate:
“The secret to change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”
Again, we see the positivity element that drives the movement with the hopes of a new and exciting outcome. It’s the intentional direction of our minds to ignore the thoughts and people who may slow us down to embrace the possibilities. This approach allows for a bright and promising future.
Finally, these thoughts from William Bridges, an American author and leadership consultant, whose goal was to assist organizations in addressing the psychological aspects of transition to succeed in adapting to change. He wrote:
“It isn’t the changes that do you in; it’s the transitions. Change is not the same as transition. Change is situational: the new site, the new boss, the new team roles, the new policy. Transition is the psychological process people go through to come to terms with the new situation. Change is external; transition is internal.”
This statement is incredibly powerful. Consider how embracing transition internally would give a new perspective and understanding of our current world situation. Navigating the internal journey to embrace the external change fully would definitely inform our work efforts. And those who work in jobs involving client contact may understand the difference between the two and promote greater acceptance and unconditional regard.
This translation of Hebrews 12:1 in Scripture from The Message Bible provides a powerful model of transition to emulate:
“Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!”
There’s encouragement in the thoughts shared above to help us make sense of most any situation we face.
Take time to honor the space between this week and see how embracing transition, rather than pushing against change, will enrich your life!
Be Well & Be Blessed!
Lucinda
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