Starting Over

So many women I know are at a major crossroad in their lives: relationships are growing stale, jobs are ending or eroding, living situations are shifting. In an attempt to make better decisions going forward, all are asking big questions, scrutinizing and deconstructing the past to find clues that may help them navigate a better, more soul-full future.

In the midst of these changes, there is often a perennial frustration that drives us forward: a belief that there is a person with whom we belong or a place or situation in which we belong—someone or something that "feels right", that we have resonance with or allows us to step into the flow.

But is it that what we're really seeking?

In my experience, it's much less intangible than that. It's more of a sense of wanting a life that nourishes our primal longing for connection and purpose. It's not about the specifics as much as it's about the energy that surrounds it, the "rightness" about it, and a recognition or awareness that we’re on the right track.

Having started over many times in my life I know how challenging and overwhelming it can be. But I also know how revitalizing it is and full of wondrous gifts, blessings and insights.

The long-term benefits of so many changes are priceless: I'm much more grounded than I ever was, and my capacity to trust myself has grown exponentially. I’m able to stand firm in the foundation of my authentic self. I can truly say that I embody the values I've been holding for most of my life.

Of course, these virtues didn’t happen overnight. It took lots and lots of baby steps (I've exercised muscles I didn't know I had, and boy were they weak!) and a HUGE amount of faith. In fact, my life is a daily demonstration of how faith works. Each day, I trust life to support me, and it does. This doesn’t mean I haven’t had my share of curve balls thrown at me, but thankfully, my intuition helps me navigate around them. Believe me I spent many a morning waking up feeling a sense of dread and fear, but with practice, I learned how to shift my vibrations to a higher place. 

As I watch my friends and family members move through their own life changes, I am able to hold space for them and be a container for their vulnerability in a way that's heartfelt and real—a great reminder that it's these connections that get us through to the other side.

Starting over is a pilgrimage that takes us from what is familiar into the unknown. Along the way, we learn a bit more about what we're made of and what really matters. It may terrify us and stretch us way beyond our comfort zone, but it is during these times that we truly discover that we know how to fly.