Winds of change…

One of my favorite movies is the 2000 film “Chocolat” with Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp. It’s a romantic drama that is centered around the character played by Juliette Binoche named Vianne. She and her daughter are blown from town to town by the North Wind, or so she says in the film. In each town, Vianne sets up a chocolate shop. With her intuitive skills, Vianne is able to determine what sort of chocolate treat would be the best fit for each person… and through her keen listening, intuition, and delicious treats begins helping people change their lives. If you haven’t seen it, it’s a delightful film.

You may have noticed that I haven’t been blogging as regularly. In part, that’s because the school year has begun and I’m adjusting to a new school. It’s also a sign of the transition my daughter has made to being a sophomore in high school which has required much more time than I would have imagined. But mostly, it’s because the energy I normally spend writing my blog has been responding to the winds of change blowing through my own life. First those winds were a whisper. Recently, the winds of change have been more like a roar in my own life and I’ve chosen to stay and sit with those metaphorical winds to figure out what to do next.

We each get those whispers of change sometimes. Sometimes, the whispers are not whispers at all but are gales. Those gales are as obvious as a north wind and impossible to deny. Other times, the whispers are more subtle and can require us to become completive to figure out what direction the wind is blowing. Many of the people in my life; clients, friends, family member and my myself are feeling those whispers or winds of change.

How do you know when that idea or nudge is an indicator of a need to change?

I’m sure the answers are different for every single one of us. I can tell you that for me, every major life change has followed the same pattern. Not everything happens in the same order, but each element I’m going to share with you has been present before a major change took place.

Indicators of a need for change

A feeling of unease, discomfort or discontent can be an invitation to look deeply into our lives.

Are there things in our lives that are not longer serving us? Or is the opposite true…are there things we wish we could incorporate into our daily lives? When I fell this way, I sit into it. I begin to study the things in my life that are bringing me joy. Once I’ve pinpointed the primary sources of joy, I look for ways to incorporate more of those things.

Physical changes in our bodies, health, eating or sleeping habits can be a sign that something in our lives is requiring our attention. 

A tangible example something is happening in your life can be weight changes, sleeping changes or suddenly noticing you feel different physically. My weight is often like a litmus test for me. Have things in your body changed without you orchestrating the change consciously? For some people it could be overeating, unusual sugar cravings, or sleep problems. For others it could be that there is unusual clutter around the home or office. Perhaps you find yourself uncharacteristically crabby. When you notice something has changed in your body or behavior, it’s a good opportunity to look deeper for a root cause. Is there anything in your life bugging you? Are you craving something you aren’t getting? What could ease that sense of dissatisfaction?

Growing sensations of frustration with your outcomes can be good reason to look at the root of how you are feeling. 

Are you really frustrated with your job or could it be you are overspending then worrying about money? Maybe it’s not your job, but financial stress that is the source of frustration? Is your weight really out of control or is it just that you don’t want to look closely at your nutrition and activity level. Maybe you think it feels better just to eat and sit on the couch now, and then blame hormones. I’ve been there. Are you actually frustrated with the friend that won’t reciprocate? Or could you be upset you have taught that friend to treat you this way because you have a self esteem issue to work on? Or…maybe you can relate to what was going on in my life. I was very frustrated with looking at another 20 years until retirement when the actual problem isn’t my time until retirement: my frustration was I needed more artistic and intellectual stimulation.

Repeating thoughts or impulses rattle around your brain. 

I’d hear choirs and long to be a part of a high caliber musical experience.  Then I would hear the words of my former husband (yes, still after being divorced for nearly 10 years I hear his words sometimes in my mind) negating the value of music, choirs, and education. I kept wondering if I needed to find a different “day job” than being a music teacher. Then, I realized I needed to just throw my heart back over the bar and see what happened. I embraced my professional whole heartedly and this fall has been FILLED with miracles bigger than I could have imagined. I have a school I absolutely love and have just been offered a positing at Opera Idaho as their children’s choruses director, which I happily accepted. It is literally a dream come true. What thoughts or feelings are you having that repeat themselves? Is someone else’s opinion affecting your decisions? If it were only up to you, what would you do or not do in your life?

So you think you might need a change. Now what?

The Titanic taught us you can’t quickly turn a ship. You don’t have to radically change your life right now. It often feels much better to start small. Make one tiny change… maybe for today, just allow yourself to change one thought.

All my love,

Brenda