Is change good, bad, or something else entirely?

Looking back on some of the major changes in your life, there were probably times when you welcomed change with open arms, eager to discover whatever lay ahead. There have likely been occasions when instead of welcoming change, you resisted and ran from it — even when you knew change of some sort was unavoidable or perhaps very much needed.

Part of what makes change so unnerving is its inherent unpredictability. Even a minor change in life can be an intense experience that destabilizes us and leaves us feeling disoriented. No matter how much you try to plan and prepare for it, change has the potential to wind up encompassing more than you bargained for.

The following excerpt vividly captures that intensity and that element of the unexpected which change inherently possesses:

​No-one enjoys feeling conflicted about something transpiring in their life. In addition to being a confusing, frustrating, and draining experience; it can also become a major distraction as you find yourself spending time going back and forth in an attempt to gain clarity. 
 
Fortunately, there are things you can do to begin bringing some much-needed clarity.  The following steps will help you resolve the conflict you're facing, so you feel energized and equipped to move forward with confidence.

You know the feeling: you want to move forward with your plans, but something is holding you back.  You might be struggling to identify exactly what it is and where it's coming from.  But it's there, that nagging feeling of being unsettled that's keeping you from going full steam ahead. 
 
What you're encountering is resistance.  It may be frustrating and confusing while you're experiencing it, but it's actually a good thing!  It's an important safety mechanism; you're being alerted that things aren't quite lining up the way they need to.  The next step?  Taking a closer look to determine why things aren't lining up.
 
There are an infinite number of reasons why you may be encountering resistance; here are three of the most common ones.

It's wonderful when someone can provide a safe haven for another, and the following poem expresses this concept simply and beautifully. As you read, I encourage you to take time to reflect on the sentiments expressed.

How do the images come to life in your mind? Do you find yourself thinking about specific people in your life, or recalling those special times when someone's love and support served as a safe haven for you? 

Or perhaps you're going through a period where you're longing for that "hand to clasp" as you go through the ups and downs of life.  If so, I hope this poem inspires you to extend your own hand, with faith and confidence that the gesture will help guide the way towards what you're looking for.

Safe Haven by Leilani Biswas (reprinted with permission)

A ray of sun to illuminate the way
Clear the shadows and fears allay
A tropical breeze to warm the air
Displace the chill that lingers there
A shoulder to lean on when times get rough
Just being there is comfort enough
An ear to listen with concern and care
A safe, secure haven for a heart laid bare
A hand to clasp on a bumpy road
Share a laugh, share the load
A soul to connect with outside space and time
Transforming the mundane into the sublime

You know the feeling, an inner exhaustion that doesn't go away after a day or two.  You're missing your inner spark; you lack the energy and enthusiasm that makes you want to dive into your day.  You're not depressed, but you feel a sense of inner tiredness and you're finding it hard to get motivated.

These are symptoms of being emotionally drained, and the impact can reach across all areas of your life.  In order to regain your emotional energy and equilibrium, you need to know what's causing the problem. 

Here are five common reasons for why you feel emotionally drained.

You receive an encouraging call or message from out of the blue.  A door suddenly opens, or a great opportunity comes your way.  A windfall lands in your lap at just the right time to get you out of a jam.  Multiple pieces come together and fall into place perfectly. 

To someone else looking on, the event that occurs may appear small, perhaps even meaningless.  But to you, it's quite meaningful.  It puts a smile not just on your face, but on your heart, too.  You sense that the stars have aligned in your favour, and it fills you with wonder, joy, peace and confidence.

There's a general assumption that as we get older, we grow in our maturity and wisdom.  After all, with all that life experience under your belt, how could you not become wiser and more mature?  But age alone is not synonymous with growth, maturity, and wisdom. 

Just as you've probably met someone who seemed incredibly mature for their age, you've likely also met someone whose age clearly hadn't conferred the level of maturity and wisdom you would have expected.
 
Life experience on its own is no guarantee of maturity and wisdom; it's what you do throughout your life that matters.  Maturity and wisdom go hand in hand with growth.  When you allow yourself to become more receptive to growth in your life, you lay the groundwork for maturity and wisdom to follow.  Therefore, it makes sense to guard against self-imposed limits that stifle your growth.  

Here are some common self-imposed limits to watch out for.

“At a certain level of self-awareness, we perceive something supernatural in us.”   
Leo Tolstoy, Writer.
 
The term self awareness comes up a lot these days, but it's not a new concept. 

For thousands of years, self-awareness has been recognized and valued by different cultures worldwide, evidenced through art, literature, religion, and a variety of ritual practices passed down from one generation to another.  But what is self-awareness exactly, and why is it so important?