Navigating Transitions

As the weather becomes cooler and the teachers and children return to school, you may find yourself struggling with the transition. Learning to manage transitions is essential to your emotional well-being.

Step 1: Be Patient.
Be patient as you adapt to changes in the schedule. Allow yourself some extra time so as not to feel rushed or harried, and therefore, irritable. Understand that transitions are necessary and not meant to defeat you. Go with the Flow.

Step 2: Accept Change
The truth is that those who struggle in times of transition are often those who resist change. They prefer to keep things the same and predictable. It is thought to feel safer, for it keeps everything in the comfort zone of familiarity. Of course, life does not stay the same. Accept that change is inevitable. Remind yourself that you are capable of handling change. Eventually the changes that you are experiencing in the now will become familiar.

Step 3: Get Grounded
Schedule a counseling session or better yet, attend a Weekend Workshop offered at Avenues Counseling Center. Let go of fears that hold you hostage to resistance and begin to embrace a life of joy and spontaneity.



 

Are you looking for change in your life?

Are you looking to change YOUR LIFE or to CHANGE your life?

To change your life is to make it different through restructuring one or more aspects of your life. You may choose to buy a new house, seek an education, change careers or leave a relationship. When you look to change your life by making it different, you are looking to make a difference through your living. You want your life to have a purpose. The problem with this approach to change, is that you continue to feel dissatisfied despite the outward changes. You keep making changes in hopes of eventually making “a difference.”

To change your life does not require restructuring your life on the outside. There is nothing wrong with the outside of your life, but the inside of your being. This change requires a change in your perceptions of yourself and your life. In other words, the change is emotional, not physical.  Things look the same, but feel very different. This change brings happiness and a feeling of life satisfaction. To change from within, is to truly change your life!

CHANGE your life!

Attend Light of the Soul: Journey to Fulfillment beginning January 18, 2013. It is a five month (one weekend per month) self development program that will CHANGE your life!

                                           Register today at www.ellenpeterson.com.

Like Frosty the Snowman, you can be a “happy, jolly soul!”

 

Defining a Midlife Crisis

Midlife Crisis:

The fear of growing old (time passing) without significant accomplishment. The illusion of living with abandonment (breaking chains of obligation and responsibility) in order to hurry up and fulfill dreams, purpose or destiny.

Letting life become better

Life certainly has its ups and downs. When life is up, you feel no need to change or alter anything. When life is down, you feel an urgency to fix things and get things back as they once were. But what if you knew that life had to periodically turn upside down for you to face your own weaknesses?  After all, strength is only demonstrated in times of adversity. Therefore, life periodically offers opportunities to develop our essence. Why stay the same when you can be so much more? Why settle for life as it is, when it can be so much better? Let life become better. Do not be so quick to judge the experiences of life, including those which are the most painful. Be patient and see how things develop and unfold. You may be surprised to recognize that you handle life stress differently, that you love someone even more, or that you are more self-reliant. In other words, your life became better! 

Medium Eggs

As humans, we are programmed to follow the course of what is known and familiar without much conscious thought. Since losing weight, my appetite has decreased. Yet I was continuing to go to the store, pickup the large eggs that I have always purchased, and feel stuffed whenever I cooked an egg for breakfast. In some strange way, I accepted that as the only option, when indeed there are always other options. And so, this week I went to the store and consciously looked at the size difference between a large and a medium egg. (Light bulb shines over head!) I pondered for a moment. Why buy a larger egg, just because you always have? As humans we change and our needs change. Yet, we are at risk for continuing to do that which is familiar, rather than to awaken to new ways to meet our needs.

Mid Life Crisis

What is a mid-life crisis?

A Mid-life crisis is when a person reaches what they perceive as the middle of their life and take an inventory of both their successes and failures. They become frightened when thinking about how quickly time passes and perhaps struggle with the uncertainty of the future. Stress or life changes (empty nest) can trigger the desire to have somethng more or something different in one's life. The person is vulnerable during this time. There is an urgency to make changes, and therefore, their behavior becomes impulsive without a reasonable explanation. They seek to find what they feel is missing. Major purchases, unexpected moves, extramarital affairs are commonly associated with a mid life crisis. When a mid life crisis occurs in an otherwise stable home, it can be devastating to the other family members. The family feels shocked and wonders what happened to the person that they knew and loved and who loved and adored them. It is hard to understand how anyone would want to purposely turn their life upside down to find what they think they are missing.

A mid life crisis can be avoided if you do the emotional work necessary for life fulfillment. A person whose life is fulfilling is not likely to have a mid life crisis. They are content with where they live, who they live with and how they spend a day. They feel gratitude for their health, their home and their family. All is well for the fulfilled person. They do not long for something more, nor do they need to hunt for fulfillment in something new. They are content and proud of all that they have accomplished thus far in their lives.  They see the future as a wondrous adventure filled with more time with loved ones, as well as time to accomplish their continued goals (bucket list).  

Plan B

Success in life has very little to do with how you expect Plan A to go, but how well you handle Plan B. The plans for today seemed pretty set, and the day began well. When family lost power, they called to ask if they could come over and cook their dinner. We had just eaten and there was plenty of leftovers to share.  And so they did, and I enjoyed their company. I sat back and noticed how well it all seemed to happen. Life is much like that. Things change. Plans change. People change.

The lesson: Even when the unexpected happens, all can continue to be well. It is simply different than what was expected.

Evidence of Change

For years, I have told people that I choose to be an active member of my Catholic church in hopes to bring positive changes in an organization that needs a great deal of help. Years ago,I had a dear friend, who is now deceased,  say that she could not say aloud, nor agree to, the prayer, "Lord I am not worthy to receive you..." I agreed that the language is harsh and punitive. And so, today my girls and I served on the altar amazed to hear the changes that are to come as of next week with the wording, not only of that prayer, but several other prayers as well. It seems as if the Catholic Church is resigning much of their negative language and finally embracing some much needed change. Marissa held the book that priests have used for many years (if not centuries) to offer prayers during Mass and other Catholic celebrations, in order for Father Leo to "decommission" the Book. Father Leo closed the Book for the final time and handed to me as the lector to carry in procession out of the church. It was truly an honor to be a part of what I consider miraculous! The Catholic Church is embracing positive changes. Alleluia! 

For further information, visit...
http://www.thebatt.com/catholic-mass-changing-translations-1.2687755?cache=03D163D03D163Dp%3A%2Fhe3D03Dn6%2FFreporti3D19.1114g1ssed-1.1176%C3%83%C2%83%C3%82%C2%83%C3%83%C2%82%C3%82%C2%83%C3%83%C2%83%C3%82%C2%82%C3%83%C2%82%C3%82%C2%83%C3%83%C2%83%C3%82%C2%83%C3%83%C2%82%C3%82%C2%82%C3%83%C2%83%C3%82%C2%82%C3%83%C2%82%C3%82%C2%83%C3%83%C2%83%C3%82%C2%83%C3%83%C2%82%C3%82%C2%83%C3%83%C2%83%C3%82%C2%82%C3%83%C2%82%C3%82%C2%82%C3%83%C2%83%C3%82%C2%83%C3%83%C2%82%C3%82%C2%82%C3%83%C2%83%C3%82%C2%82%C3%83%C2%82%C3%82%C2%9ApatpxtPage%3D2.1188%3Fcache%3D03D163D03D163Dp%3A%2Fhe3D03Dn63Frepo%3Fcache%3Fcache%3D03D163D03D163%3FparentPage%3D2.1244%3Fcache%3D03ch63Da3D163Dines-mangan-folling-porti3D19o546788

Embracing Change

Change is necessary. Yet, many people fear change to the point of avoiding change. It is easier to hold onto the familiar when you are afraid of the unknown. Change challenges our fear of the unknown. We do not know what will happen once things change. Yet, we forget that life is always changing. Seasons change. Children grow and change. Relationships change. People change. If you fear change, you are likely to hold onto the past, the old and the familiar. You resist change. Your sense of security is tied to keeping things the same. With the fear of change is often the belief that change is bad. It is the idea that if things change in your life, you will not be okay. You will not be safe. That is not true. Look around you and notice what has changed or what is in the process of changing. Change is inevitable. Know that all things in life will change, and must change. Accept and embrace change and your life will open to unlimited possibilities. Change is good.

I embrace change. Change is good.