Navigating Change

Here's a question to ask before moving forward: Does this feel like the right choice? It may seem like an obvious question, but we don’t always inquire with our inner knowing -- our intuition.

by Laurie Richardone

We live in a world where everything changes. It is something we can count on.

All things have a beginning, a middle, and an end. It is the natural order of things.

Much of the change in our lives is wonderful and exciting: Like contemplating the change of seasons, which offers a variety of experiences and seasonal ingredients to cook with. Some changes are out of our control and challenging to navigate.

Also, there are intentional changes, where we made a decision for something in our lives to occur, and it did… and still, it was challenging, and sometimes hard on the heart.

However, we can choose to look at change in a different way. Rather than resist it, we can view it as an opportunity. Change can be an opportunity to grow, and create something new and wonderful.

For some, it might be a new or second career, a time of retirement, slowing down, or completing a long term relationship. It will likely take a fair amount of experimenting to help us find just the right balance of how we want to spend our time moving forward.

I invite you to ask the question when change arrives at your door, why has this experience arrived at my doorway, or perhaps not given me what I think that I want? This can leave us feeling dissatisfied, and empty.

I have come to believe it’s important to recognize and acknowledge what our emotions are around a point of transition. I used to try and stuff it down, not think about the emotions my body was experiencing.

We need to let the emotions surface, so that they can naturally pass. If we push them down, they get stuck in the body. Spiritual teacher, Eckhart Tolle calls this the pain body.

Something that is not fully faced for what it is, in the moment, so it becomes a remnant of pain we carry with us throughout our lives. So when unwanted change comes in,

which it will, it’s easy to not want to honor the emotions that can go with it.

Enjoy the down time when you are in the midst of change. That time will not always be there to have.

The in-between of things is an excellent time to allow more space for just “being” instead of the “doing” that many of us spend way too much time in.

Stay in the neutral zone around change. It’s helpful to not have an attachment to an exact outcome or the timing of it.

This leaves room for something unexpected and beautiful to arrive.

A great question to ask yourself before moving forward is, does this feel like the right choice? It seems like an obvious question to ask, but we don’t always inquire with our inner knowing, our intuition.

Helpful tools to navigate Change

• Remain engaged (in the heart) and keep listening, get out of the mind.

• Spend time in reflection when in transition. Times of change and uncertainty can spur us to action, sometimes unnecessarily so.

• Seek out support from a trusted friend, or a personal coach. We do not have to do it alone.

I look at asking for help as a sign of strength, and also to get in touch with our strengths and limitations.

Every one of us has both. Knowing where it is we need help navigating change in our lives can make all the difference.

Wherever you are with the changes that will inevitably happen in your lives, how will you navigate it ?

Wishing you a fruitful journey ~ Laurie

If you are a curious person or cook join me on my Podcast ~ a taste for all seasons

Listen to the latest episode ~ Navigating Change

All episodes are on LaurieRichardone.com ~ or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Laurie Richardone is an inspirational seasonal chef and certified health coach. To work with Laurie, visit LaurieRichardone.com/contact