some change i found laying around...

I read something today that I thought was really awesome.

This comes from a book called The First 30 Days: Your Guide to Making Any Change Easier by Ariane de Bonvoisin.

"It takes 30 days to create a habit. How we relate to those first 30 days may make all the difference."

She talks about the "transition through any change, whether it is career, health, lifestyle, relocation, or personal relationship changes."

Ariane says, "Change is always an opportunity to pause, go inside, listen to our 'inner microphone' and be in the present. When change does happen, either by courageous choice or from life circumstances, it is asking us to be honest with what is, and also what is not working for us and our lives."

"Mindfulness is about being totally aware of what our mind is feeding us during change. Usually it's one of a few dominant disempowering programs: disapproval, comparison and perfection...these are the main ones. The mind is going to feed us the usual 'change demons', the classic emotions that show up as well to the 'change party'...fear, doubt, blame, shame, guilt and impatience. Being mindful during change is started by being aware. Aware of what emotion is getting your attention, welcoming it up, asking for its message and letting it be rather than resisting or escaping it."

"Moments of change also happen to help us let go of the need for control. Control of knowing an outcome, of how we can speed things up, get out of the void, or this period of uncertainty, the unknown. Being mindful during change is simply about staying with the shakiness. From all change, something good happens. Life is on our side if we just let it be and surrender to it. It knows the way."

"There are all sorts of changes. From forgiving someone to buying a home, to having a baby, to moving, the loss of a loved one to starting a new job, losing weight and handling a health diagnosis. We all go through changes!"

"Most of us are so focused on our professional resume when really who we are is a combination of all the changes we have ever made, faced and witnessed."

"Take a blank piece of paper and start writing down these changes. Then write down all the good that came from these changes. You will bring back into your mind the connection between life changes and good things emerging, despite the difficulty at that time. Finally make a list of what the main thing was that helped them through. Was it a person? A belief or faith? Getting healthy? Time? Doing things for others, etc.? This exercise will help you get your power back. Even though this change may be something new you are going through, you are not showing up w/o 'tools' or experiences, etc. You know what helped you."

"People aren't changed or helped by information, but by inspiration. You need to ask yourself WHY you want to make a change. The WHY is the fuel, not the HOW or BY WHEN."

"Why is this important to you? Why do you enjoy doing this? Why do you want to lose the weight? Why do you want to leave a job or pursue that dream?" (Why do you climb?)

Something that this author talks about that I really agree with her on is the SEED of all change. I have been looking for something larger than myself. I have been searching for new inspiration.
Lately, I am in need of change. I have been in a funk. A stupid funk. It's just dumb.

"The first step towards any positive sustained change is to take care of yourself...your health. It is the SEED of all change. Sleep, Eating well, Exercising and Drinking water. When you feel healthy, in your body, you get out of your head. Your self esteem rises, your power returns, you are moving these emotions through your body, you feel strong. Change happens through the body, the heart...not in the head."

I remember how good I felt a few years ago, when I made a lifestyle change. I'm not sure how I've gotten off the path. The bushwhacking has already started though. I'll find my way back soon enough. :)

Five awesome quotes to go with this blog:

"The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off." - Gloria Steinem

"Hidden in any misfortune is good fortune." - Tao Te Ching

"The single most important decision any of us ever have to make is whether to believe we live in a friendly universe." - Albert Einstein

"Be patient towards all that is unsolved within your heart, and try to love the questions themselves." - Rainer Maria Rilke

"When you argue with reality, you lose, but only 100% of the time." - Byron Katie