Art inspiration by Valerie Lorimer (via Etsy)
A while back, I was talking to a private mentoring client about making big changes. She was unhappy with her business and knew that change was necessary, but she was feeling uncertain about her future direction. Did she want to change her business focus, close the business and take a job, go back to school, what???
I have some experience with being in that space, having put my life and business on hold last March to travel, and then finding a new path and creating Art Aligned while on the road. Here’s what I’ve learned about the process of making changes:
- Step 1: Acknowledge. Before any change can be made, you first have to acknowledge there’s a problem and that there could be another way. Once you do, it’s like…
- Step 2: Breaking free. When you make the decision to change, you feel a mix of trepidation and relief. You’re nervous about next steps but also excited about a future with more…something. More money, more happiness, more success, whatever it is you’re missing currently. Then there’s…
- Step 3: The crisis. You ask, “What the heck am I doing? I have no idea who I want to be or what I want to do, and I have no idea how I’m going to figure it out.” You may be on step three for a while. It depends on what you do to get out of it. Personally, I found that journaling, self-care, artist explorations and Julia Cameron’s Artist’s Way program helped a lot. After some soul searching, you reach…
- Step 4: The a ha! moment. You say, “Holy crap, I knew what I wanted all along.” We need our own permission to be authentic and to share our truth, and sometimes another person to hold up a mirror and help us see what we really want and need. In our day-to-day lives, we often focus on shoulds and must-dos, which can keep us trapped in old patterns and unaware of alternatives. Once we give ourselves permission, we can then begin taking baby steps toward positive change.
I believe we all know what we truly want deep down, but we may feel trapped in our current situation and unable to change. You may be a single mother with a real need to make enough money to support your family. You may be an entrepreneur who’s invested three years of your life in your current methods. You may be the successful breadwinner who feels incapable of pursuing your own dreams because of what your spouse or colleagues will say. The key to any change is baby steps. It doesn’t have to all be done at once. And, if you fall off the wagon, know that you can pick yourself up and get right back on again.
Have you made any positive changes lately? What was your experience?
Cheers,
