Autumn has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere. A welcome change for some; for others, not so much. A seasonal change, even when welcome, is still change.
Few of us enjoy change. Yet, as we mature spiritually (no matter what our calendar age), we realize that change is easier when it occurs from the inside out, as we choose to change ourselves first.
I believe we reach this conclusion after we’ve tried all the other changes, sometimes called “cures.” You know them if you’ve tried them, Blessed Reader: the Geographic Cure of moving to another city because we’ll have more fun there. The Re-Decorating Cure when we spend a fortune on new furniture and artwork. The Diet Cure which requires that we eat pounds and pounds of kale and forsake ice cream forever. The Divorce Cure because the other person wasn’t “it.” The New Job Cure because our boss was a jerk and our co-workers were lazy. The New Car Cure because everyone else has one. The New Friend Cure because none of our old friends really understand or appreciate us.
The Common Denominator is always the same: We are. And if we don’t change, from the inside out first, none of the “cures” matter. So, if we truly want to transform our lives, we need to do our own inner work so our outer experiences also reflect those changes. It’s a simple process, though not always easy. Because the truth is: We can’t change the past, particular situations, or other people. Though we can choose to change ourselves, our beliefs and our behavior.
Transforming from the inside out requires that we be willing to:
- Remove our hands from the Universal Steering Wheel, take our seat, fasten our seat belt and the leave the “driving” to God;
- Put on our own oxygen mask first, which includes our daily time for prayer, meditation and self-care;
- Withstand stillness, silence and “delays”;
- Reconsider our opinions, as well as our limitations, and continually surrender them, especially if they once worked, but no longer do;
- Open our minds, hearts, ears and eyes so we know which messages are ours and which are someone else’s;
- Release unhealthy behaviors, habits and relationships;
- Recognize that we may never know all the sides of a story;
- Acknowledge that sometimes our perspective is limited;
- Accept – even if we don’t like it – that some people won’t understand our transformation and will belittle us, condemn us, or leave us.
- Leave something for tomorrow, so we can sleep peacefully tonight;
- Take time to relax and enjoy laughter, hugs, raindrops, snowflakes, moon glow, sunshine, love and delicacies which come in abundant ways.
- Remember that time on this earthly plane is limited — and we get to choose how we want to live it.
© 2016 – Rev. Jennifer L. Sacks. All rights reserved.
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