Having spent my early years on an island off the coast of Newfoundland, I remember well the ferocity of the Atlantic Ocean beating against the rocky cliffs along the shoreline. Often birds flew into and nestled on the barren ledges, hanging on, with their bodies shivering. Some of the birds nestled in places where they would continue to be battered at the mercy of nature’s fury. There might have been a ‘soft place to fall’ just beyond those ledges; however they like us, stayed, struggled and shivered in scarcity because it was familiar.
How often we stay in our familiar desperately holding onto some vestige of safety and illusion of security, because we are afraid of shaking up the status quo, thus the patterns of our lives.
None of us really wants to live a life of limitations and struggle, staying safe to the point of dullness.
We may dream of a different kind of life; however when it comes to crossing the threshold we hesitate or do not find the courage to risk the change.
I’ve been there many times on the ledges of life’s important junctures and found myself clinging to the old.
Fraught with fear, knowing change was absolutely necessary I moved tenuously forward to get to the next foothold.
Often the emotional pain of not changing and stepping fully into life is more painful than finding the courage to take the first step.
Sometimes, not changing is a risk that we cannot afford to take.
Review your life story:
Where have you stopped yourself in your flight?
Where and when do you cling to your cliffs or illusions of safety and security?
Sit quietly:
Taking as much time as you need and breathe into that part of you that clings to the familiar.
Accept where you are at this time with compassion.
Visualize how it will be when you take the first step off the cliff.
Learn how fear at all levels is the impetus to push us into the next level of consciousness that of courage.
If you find this Question Series helpful, and you have further questions or suggestions do not hesitate to send me a comment on Facebook at facebook.com/passionatelivingnewsletter
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