The Weather Has Changed Now It\’s Your Turn
The Weather Has Changed Now It\’s Your Turn
By Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D. and Phyllis Goldberg, Ph. D.
Now that summer is in full bloom, are you looking for ways to make new beginnings yourself?
You\’ve been seeing flowers popping their heads up, risking bad weather to bloom once more. If you\’ve wanted to make some changes in your old habits but have been bogged down by winter\’s heavy gloom, now\’s the time to take a chance and go for it.
Here are some tips to help you start instituting the changes you want make. This summer try out a new perspective as you look at the world in a fresh, new way.
You\’ll be better able to see what has been holding you back from committing to the shifts you want to make.
Just as flowers renew their blooms each year, you too can push through your hesitation and become your full, authentic self. Once you make a commitment to transform yourself, you\’ll find it easier to take that first step.
Open yourself up to new ideas. Don\’t be afraid to try something unusual. When you look at things from a different viewpoint, you gain the ability to innovate and create a novel happening for yourself. As you focus on what you can learn in a unique situation rather than on how you usually do things, you\’ll be less concerned about making a mistake.
Unplug. It\’s not only our children who can benefit from time away from electronics – we need that break too. Set aside some down time without your cellphone, tablet, pda, mp4 player, computer or television. No games, no virtual relationships. Instead, immerse yourself in the real world and enjoy all it has to offer. You may be surprised at the richness of your experience.
Get your hands dirty. In the kitchen or the garden, you know that when you get actively involved, you can create something new from what you already have at your fingertips. Use that same level of participation as you dig into your new endeavor and watch as it grows into a beautiful state.
Don\’t wait for the perfect time to begin. We\’ve all been there – thinking, I\’ll start when I have more time. Or more energy. Or more money. Or when I have more help or when the kids are grown. Recognize that you may not have an ideal situation and that you are not likely to accomplish everything you want in a short timeframe, but that you can begin the process.
July is just around the corner so this may be just the time to assert your own independence as you reawaken parts of your core that define and strengthen you. Your choice now is to bring them up to the surface as you fulfill your desires for change. Then take the opportunity to put aside work and have fun as you stretch your limits.
© 2013, Her Mentor Center
Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D. and Phyllis Goldberg, Ph.D. are family relationship experts. If you\’re coping with marital stress, acting out teens, aging parents, boomerang kids or difficult daughters-in-law, they have solutions for you. Visit their blog and website, http://www.HerMentorCenter.com, to subscribe to their free newsletter, “Stepping Stones,” and download complimentary ebooks, “Courage and Lessons Learned: Reaching for Your Goals” and “Taking Control of Stress in a Financial Storm.”
